In order to evaluate the effects of three fasting periods (zero, 24 and 48 hours) between hatching and housing of broiler chicks and the addition of oil to the feed, 360 male broiler chicks were used, raised during a period ranging from 1 to 21 days in cages designed for collecting feces. The performance and digestibility of the feed ration were evaluated. A factorial 3 x 2 (three periods of fasting and two types of ration) experimental design was used. It was concluded that the fasting birds had better results at 21 days when compared with not fasting birds. The interval between hatching and housing did not have a clear effect on the coefficients of apparent digestibility of the dry mater, crude protein and ether extract of the feed, while the birds which were fed with the diet containing oil showed higher coefficients of apparent digestibility for the ether extract of the feed.
Broiler chicks; performance; digestibility; fasting
