Two hundred broiler chickens were used to study the effect of feed restriction from 5 to 8 or 9 days of age on their subsequent production performance. Birds were randomly distributed to four treatment groups. In two groups, birds were fed a conventional broiler starter diet from 0 to 4 days and were fasted for 3 (Tl) or 4 (T2) days. Birds in group T3 were fed exclusively broken maize until 4 days of age and then were fasted for 3 days. Thereafter, all feed restricted birds were fed the

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... onal starter and finisher diets. Control group (TO) was given the conventional broiler diets throughout the whole experimental period. During the starter period, feed restriction significantly (P<0.05) depressed body weight gain, particularly before 14 days of age. By 42 days of age, the birds from groups T1 and T2 had recovered body weights, except those started on broken maize that had lower body weight (PO.05). Following feed restriction birds utilized feed more efficiently (PO.01) than control birds, indicating on some compensatory growth. Carcass characteristics were not affected by the feed restriction. It was concluded that broiler chickens could withstand 3 or 4 days of fasting in early life without any negative effect on the production performance and that quality of feed before fasting and duration of feed restriction influence recovery.