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Early access to nutrients post-hatch has a major impact on the immediate and long-term development of broiler chickens (Uni 1998). However, in many cases chicks are held for 24-48 h before placement, without access to feed and water. Delayed access to feed and water post-hatch dehydrates the chicks, resulting in depressed immune response and reduced overall performance. Conversely, immediate access to nutrients upon hatch improves the body weight, breast muscle yield, and the uniformity of chicks (Sklan et al. 2000). |
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