Broilers are supposed to grow fast — that's the whole point. When your birds are lagging the weight chart, every day they fall behind costs you money in extra feed. The cause is almost always one of a handful of things. Here's how to find and fix it.
1. Feed — the usual suspect
- Wrong protein level for the stage (starter should be ~22–24%, finisher ~17–18%).
- Poor-quality or stale feed, or mouldy stock.
- Not enough feed available — empty feeders stall growth.
Check the feed first. See how to blend cheaper poultry feed in Nigeria without losing growth.
2. Water shortage
A bird that can't drink won't eat. Dirty, empty or too-few drinkers slow the whole flock. Water must be clean and available at all times — a single hot afternoon without water shows up as a lost day of growth.
3. Overcrowding
Too many birds in the space means competition for feed and water, heat build-up and stress — all of which stall growth. Check our broiler space requirements and thin out if you're overstocked.
4. Disease and parasites
- Coccidiosis — damages the gut so birds can't absorb feed (see coccidiosis in poultry).
- Worms — steal nutrition silently (see worms in chickens).
- Any disease that suppresses appetite.
5. Heat stress
In hot weather birds eat less to avoid generating body heat, so growth slows. Provide shade, ventilation and cool water — see heat stress in poultry.
6. A poor start
Weak day-old chicks or a poor first two weeks of brooding (raising chicks under a heat source) set the ceiling for the whole cycle. See our brooding chicks guide and get the start right.
Track your flock against the broiler feeding and weight chart weekly — a drift from the chart tells you to investigate before the loss gets worse.
Key takeaways
- Check feed and water first — they're the commonest causes.
- Overcrowding and heat stress both stall growth.
- Rule out coccidiosis and worms — they steal nutrition silently.
- Track weight weekly against the chart and act on gaps.