Do broiler chicks possess enough growth potential to compensate long-term feed and water depravation during the neonatal period?

Juarez Donzele though theoretically it could be right, however, mostly it depends upon the growth rate of the birds as it is the case even in most feed additives. Immediate access to feed and water is more important in fast-growing birds than moderate or slow-growing birds.

What is more important, feed or water, when birds first show up?

Longer starvation making poor performance and not animal welfare, so if long distance, you can give some energizer at hatchery.

I would find it very difficult to draw any conclusions from this trial, as the Control group itself performed very poorly. Remember, this paper was published 2011, so expectations of Ross 308 have improved; but even so, I estimate Control achieved only about 70% of potential in body weight; 70% DLWG; 80% of feed intake; and 15% higher FCR. Therefore, the impact of feed and water restriction might reasonably be expected to be lower than would normally seen in the field. A repeat of this trial, where Control actually achieved expectation, would be most useful. MPS

Martin Smith, It is correct, actually, birds with higher growth rates are more sensitive to any restrictions either water, feed, space, etc. but if they have enough time to stay in the barn, for sure they would compensate the lag, partially or totally dependent upon the rate of restrictions.

Both water & feed are very important in broilers at all stages of their growth but if for any reasons there is deprivation, then the extent of this deprivation will dictate if it could be compensated for or not.

I don’t see any advantages vs not allowing birds to find water vs feed only at placement. I put lots of feed down on paper, try to cover about 40-50% of the brooding area with feed/ paper+ Supplemental feed trays+ feeder pan on overflow setting+chicks feeder open on feed line etc... about 80-90 hrs of feed/ chick down on paper.

This way you dump chicks in a ocean of feed, don’t worry they’ll fill their crop. A chicks that feed will get thirsty and in need for water very soon. Leave them access to both, with a lots of feed down on paper. I have chicks in the 200-230 gr morning day 8. Feed availability is more important to me than forcing them to only find feed before water.

What you do when you receive chicks that are more thirsty because too long holding times or travel or too early hatching the day before and you don’t know it? They cannot find the water they desperately need because of some weird theory?

If you’re lacking 7 doa weight, work on other management issues, don’t waste time to hold chicks off water ????

Whatever works for u go for it, your call