Abstract
The effects of Delaying access to Feed and water (DF) after hatch and glucose supplementation of drinking water on the performance of broiler chickens were investigated in 2 trials. DF for up to 48 h immediately after hatch depressed performance, weight of bursa of fabricius and heart and small intestine length and thickness. However, the DF period did not influence mortality percentage, feed efficiency, composition of eviscerated carcass and body weight percentage of small intestine, heart and lymphoid organs of chickens at 33 days of age when compared with birds fed immediately after hatch. Access to feed and water after hatch increased body weight gain, feed intake and eviscerated carcass weight over the 33 days experimental period. The addition of glucose for up to 10% to drinking water of DF birds in the 1st 72 h did not influence the performance and eviscerated carcass of DF birds.