A new chapter for chick welfare, uniformity, and early performance in the Bangladesh poultry sector
Joypurhat, Bangladesh, has marked a significant milestone in the nation’s poultry industry with the inauguration of Bangladesh’s first SmartStart™ post-hatch feeding hatcher system, developed by Royal Pas Reform, The Netherlands. The ceremony was graced by senior officials from the Department of Livestock Services (DLS), Joypurhat, and attended by more than 50 local farmers, hatchery professionals, industry leaders, and representatives from leading poultry companies.
The program was coordinated jointly by LightCastle Partners and Royal Pas Reform, with strategic support from Larive International, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and AXON Limited as Royal Pas Reform’s local business partner in Bangladesh.
Post-hatch feeding: a science-based step toward better chick quality
Traditionally, newly hatched chicks often experience 24–48 hours of feed and water deprivation before transportation and farm placement due to hatch window, processing, and logistics. Scientific research has shown that prolonged early fasting negatively affects:
- Yolk sac utilization efficiency
- Early organ development, particularly gut and immune organs
- 7-day body weight and uniformity
- Early mortality and robustness
Post-hatch feeding, also known as early feeding, provides chicks with immediate access to nutrients, hydration, and energy directly inside the hatcher. This supports physiological maturity and a smoother transition from embryonic to independent life.
From an incubation and hatchery specialist perspective, early feeding:
- Stabilizes body temperature and energy balance
- Enhances intestinal villi development and gut health
- Improves immunity and reduces early stress
- Supports better chick hydration and vitality
- Narrows variation in chick maturity at take-off
- Ultimately contributes to stronger early growth performance and flock uniformity
Global commercial hatcheries increasingly adopt this technology as modern poultry production becomes more welfare-focused, performance-driven, and biologically efficient.
How SmartStart™ works: inspired by nature, engineered for hatcheries
Royal Pas Reform’s SmartStart™ has been designed as a practical, hygienic, and hatchery-friendly early feeding solution. The system introduces a specially engineered hatcher basket with an integrated “balcony”, where semi-moist feed is provided in direct reach of the chicks immediately after hatch.
What makes SmartStart™ unique is its use of natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) technology to retain moisture in the feed, keeping it fresh, safe, and biologically suitable for neonatal chicks. This allows:
- Controlled moisture composition
- Optimum texture for chick consumption
- Safe and hygienic presentation
- Consistent nutritional delivery during the hatch window
This design ensures chicks have continuous access to both feed and hydration without compromising hatch conditions, ventilation strategy, or incubation environment stability. As chicks begin to consume the semi-moist diet, they maintain hydration, energy status, and physiological readiness for farm placement.
Benefits already recognized worldwide
Commercial hatcheries adopting post-hatch feeding systems like SmartStart™ are reporting:
- Improved chick livability and early robustness
- Better chick uniformity at placement
- Enhanced yolk absorption dynamics
- Improved gut and immune development
- Reduced dehydration and processing stress
- Stronger 7-day weight gain performance
For integrators and hatcheries, the outcome links directly to biological efficiency, welfare compliance, and economic performance—key pillars of modern poultry production.
A positive trend for the Bangladesh poultry industry
With Bangladesh rapidly modernizing its poultry sector, SmartStart™ represents a forward-looking investment in science-driven hatchery management, chick welfare, and performance innovation. The move aligns the country with leading international hatchery practices and signals a new direction toward higher-quality chick production.
As the industry continues to evolve, post-hatch feeding systems are expected to become a growing trend in commercial hatcheries seeking competitive performance, improved welfare standards, and stronger flock results.
Conclusion
The inauguration of Royal Pas Reform’s SmartStart™ system in Joypurhat is more than a technological installation—it represents a scientific advancement, a welfare improvement, and a strong step toward the future of Bangladesh’s poultry industry. By integrating innovation with practical hatchery operations, SmartStart™ is poised to deliver improved chick quality, better early performance, and enhanced confidence for poultry producers across the country.
