Abstract: In this study, a total of 11000 Ross-308 broiler chicks, in 4 groups (2750 chicks) eachwere fed on mash
or pellet diet from the 1 to 28 day of age to compare their performance according to different diet. The chicken st th
groups were reared on deep litter in open poultry farm at about 2450 meter altitude above sea. The chicks were
fed on Mash from koudijus (Gr. 1), Pellet from koudijus (Gr.2), Pellet from Hendrix N.V. (Gr.3) and Pellet from
Hendrix N.V Merksem (Gr.4). The results showed that feeding on Pelleted ration improved the weightgain, feed
intake and feed /gain compared to mash diets. The highest body weight throughout all of the4 weeks
wasobserved in Pellet fromHendrix fed chickens (1103.73gm), while the lowestbody weight in different weeks
were observed inMash from Koudijus. During the whole period it was observed that pelleting increased the
feed intake compared to mash feed. The highest (1595g/bird) at 4 week and the lowest (1474g /bird/week) feed th
consumption were observed in pellet Hendrix (gr 4) and Mash Koudijus (gr1); respectively. The highest (0.786)
FCR value was observed in mash group, which indicated lowfeed conversion efficiency.The mashfeed given
only for the first four weekssignificantly reduced the subsequent incidence of ascites. The mortality with ascites
in birds receiving pelleted feed wasconsistentlythe greatestand was the lowest in birds fed on mash.