SmartStart™ ensures optimal development of day-old chicks

Post-hatch feeding - the availability of feed, water and light for day-old chicks from the moment of hatching - promotes the development of robust day-old chicks and helps reduce their need for antibiotics.

SmartStart™ supports hatcheries in implementing easy and flexible post-hatch feeding. It consists of two key elements that can be used separately or together: precision feeding and intelligent lighting. Precision feeding meets the requirements of newly-hatched chickens as accurately as possible. It uses Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADES) to create a semi-moist feed, allowing simultaneous feeding and hydration. Intelligent lighting contributes to a more-natural, stress-free environment and guides the newly-hatched chicks to the semi-moist feed. SmartStart™ has been specially designed to meet stringent hygiene requirements, and can be easily and flexibly integrated into daily hatchery practice. It can, for example, be applied to some or all flocks and be provided to one, two or all hatchers.

SmartStart™ is delivered with a hatcher basket to give day-old chicks free access to the feed and water. A dosing unit is included for putting a flexible amount of feed into the feed balconies of the hatcher basket. The transfer system allows hatcheries to submit a flexible number of eggs from the setter tray to the hatcher basket. LED-lighting guides newly-hatched chicks to the semi-moist feed.

SmartStart™ has been on the market since 2018 and is in use all over the world.