INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECT OF LIGHT COLOURS AND TROUGHS ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND BEHAVIOUR OF BROILER CHICKENS

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of light colours and troughs on the growth performance and behaviour of broiler chickens exposed to different colours of light and troughs. A total of 150-day old broiler chicks were randomly allotted into five dietary treatments designated as T1 to T5, with each treatment replicated thrice with 30 chicks each in a completely randomized design. T₁ served as control with normal colour of light and trough while birds in T₂, T₃, T₄ and T₅ were exposed to blue, red, white and green colors of light and troughs respectively tallying with the colour of trough in each treatment. The study lasted for 8weeks during which the effects of different colours of light and troughs were examined. Data were generated on growth parameters and the bahaviours of the chickens. Results revealed significant differences (p<0.05) across treatments in final weight, feed conversion ratio and water intake with T₃ having the least values of mortality 0.00% and highest values of 2.22kg and 63.43g in total weight gain and average daily weight gain, respectively. There were also significant differences (p<0.05) observed in their behaviour across all treatments in the values of feed eating, comfort activity, and lying/sleeping with T₁ having the highest value of 0.67% in aggression. It can be concluded that broiler chickens reared under red colour performed better than others while for calmness, blue and green.