The importance of rest in young domestic fowl

This project investigated whether or not chicks of broiler and layer strains would adapt to a simulated brooding cycle which allowed them to rest synchronously, and how allowing the chicks to rest would affect growth and maintenance activities. There were four trials with four groups of 10 layer chicks and four groups of 10 broiler chicks in each trial. Half the groups were subjected to a long-day schedule (LD) of 19.33 h light (L):4.67 h dark (D); half to a simulated brooding cycle (SBC) which consisted of the same long day but with alternating 40 min light:40 min dark periods throughout the main light period. There were significant strain effects for growth rate, gain:feed, body composition and shank length (P < 0.01); however, no differences were found between lighting treatments (P > 0.10). All chicks spent a large proportion of the first 14 days resting. Chicks on the SBC rested more than chicks on the LD (P < 0.05). Chicks on the SBC had highly patterned levels of activity which did not compromise weight gain or feed efficiency.