Three experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of feed color or feed form on feed preference, growth performance, and behavior indices of broilers. In experiment 1, 60 one-day-old broilers were dis-tributed in 3 vast floor pens whereby broilers of each pen w
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Three experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of feed color or feed form on feed preference, growth performance, and behavior indices of broilers. In experiment 1, 60 one-day-old broilers were dis-tributed in 3 vast floor pens whereby broilers of each pen were offered a non-colored feed as well as green, blue, and red colored diets. Broilers preferred to consume higher amounts of green or non-colored feed than those offered with blue and red diets (P<0.05) across the entire rearing period. In experiment 2, 240 one-day-old broilers were assigned to one of 4 treatments, comprising five replicates per treatment in a com-pletely randomized design. Dietary treatments included a control (non-colored diet) and diets with blue, green, or red colors. The most significant duration of tonic immobility was observed in broilers fed red feed, while the lowest duration was observed in birds fed blue diet (P<0.05). Feeding, preening, and aggres-sive behavior were higher in birds fed on green feed than those received a control diet (P<0.05). In experi-ment 3, 360 one- day-old chicks were allotted to 6 experimental treatments of a non-colored mash diet; non-colored pelleted feed; non-colored mash + non-colored pelleted diet; non-colored mash + blue color pel-leted feed; non-colored mash + green color pelleted feed; and non-colored mash + red color pelleted feed. Broilers fed non-colored pelleted feed had the lowest feed conversion ratio (FCR) during the starter, grow-ing, and entire rearing periods (P<0.05). Overall, broilers preferred to consume a colored diet. Feeding pel-leted feed improved the growth performance of broilers regardless of feed color.
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