WINTER BONUS MAGAZINE 2026

Monitoring water intake provides valuable insights into flock health. A sudden decrease in consumption is often the first sign of a problem, such as a disease or environmental stress. Maintaining optimal water quality and availability is therefore essential for supporting both nutrition and overall flock performance. Feedmanagement and early development Feed management during the brooding period is closely linked to water intake and plays a crucial role in determining growth and uniformity. Newly placed chicks must quickly learn to locate and consume feed, as this supports the development of the digestive system and promotes rapid weight gain. To facilitate this process, feed should be provided in a form that is easy to consume, such as a fine crumble. Supplementary feeding methods, including the use of paper or trays, help ensure that feed is readily accessible and visible to chicks. These methods also stimulate natural feeding behaviour by encouraging movement and exploration within the brooding area. Figure 2 shows the practical implementation of chick paper to ensure feed is accessible and visible to chicks. The success of feed management can be assessed through crop fill evaluation. Within the first few hours after placement, most chicks should have crops that are full and soft, indicating that they have consumed both feed and water. A guideline for this crop fill evaluation: • After 8 hours, a minimum of 80% of them should have feed and water in the crop. • The morning after placement, 95% of the chicks should have feed and water in the crop. If this is not achieved, it may signal issues with feed availability, water access, or environmental conditions. Early feed intake is directly linked to weight gain and flock uniformity, making it a key component of the Natural Power approach. Environmental control: Temperature, humidity, air quality, and ventilation Environmental management is one of the most important aspects of broiler production, as it directly affects chick comfort, health, and growth. Temperature control is particularly critical during the brooding period, as chicks are unable to maintain their body temperature independently. The house must be pre-heated before placement to ensure that both air and floor temperatures are within the recommended range. A floor temperature of at least 28°C is essential to prevent heat loss through the chicks’ feet, which can lead to chilling and reduced activity. Humidity works alongside temperature in maintaining the optimal chick comfort and can affect the recommended temperature. Relative humidity registered at 60%, which is optimum for chicks during the brooding period, will require a temperature of 30–31°C. Higher relative humidity will increase the “real feel” temperature, thus requiring a lower temperature set point. While lower relative humidity can result in a cooler “real feel” temperature, requiring a higher temperature set point. Figure 2: Application of chick paper Winter 2026 BONUS www.agribonus.co.za 78