Effect of feeding rice kani on the performance of chicks in coastal climate

Study was conducted to see the effect of replacing of maize (10, 20, 30 and 40%) by rice kani on Vanaraja backyard growing chicks (120; 8 weeks old), given isocaloric and isonitrogenous grower rations in a completely randomized design. Each treatment had 4 replications of 6 chicks each and the feeding trial was conducted from 8 to 14 weeks of age. The weight gain of chicks ranged from 966.7 (RK₀) to 1048 g (RK₃₀). The percent change over RK₀ was -2.0(RK₁₀), 4.3(RK₂₀), 8.4(RK₃₀) and 3.8 (RK₄₀). Significant (P<0.05) reduction in the feed intake was observed in groups of chicks kept on diets replacing 20, 30 and 40% maize with rice kani compared to those kept on control diet. The optimum FCR was observed in diet containing on 30% rice kani. It was concluded that rice kani could replace 30% of maize in the diet of growing vanaraja chicks for better economics of production in coastal climate.