This phenomenon is far more complicated than it seems because it is linked to an intricate mechanism that is governed by the endocrine system. There are two major hormones that control the hunger and satisfaction centres in the brain and that are responsible for the ‘EAT’ and ‘STOP’ behaviour, namely Ghrelin and Leptin. Ghrelin is produced by the stomach and travels to the brain, where it ‘turns on’ the hunger centre, signalling the bird to ‘EAT’, while ‘turning off’ the satiety cell, which is meant to say ‘STOP’. Leptin, on the other hand, is produced by the fat cells of the body and travels to the brain, where it serves to ‘turn on’ the satiety centre while ‘turning off’ the hunger cell. Yet unwanted, high levels of Leptin coming from excessive body fat over a period of time make the satiety or the satisfaction centre insensitive or indifferent to this hormone. A a result, those birds that are obese continue to suffer from excessive hunger which, in turn, prompts a high internal demand for maintenance and so they tend to eat more whenever the opportunity arises. Such birds have unfortunately been pushed into a permanent vicious circle. So when we try to irrationally cut the feed allowance to them, we do so at the cost of physiological development and reproduction. This factor is even more critical when birds have started their production and some growth still remains to be completed, because such birds have simultaneous and multiple demands to meet all of the three functions, i.e. Maintenance, Growth and Reproduction. In the case of birds which have completed their growth, say after 30 weeks of age, the level of maintenance should be constantly sustained and monitored in order to make sure that the nutrition and health of the birds is always kept at optimum levels. This is where the representative sampling of body weight is of immense value, at least during the first phase of production, that is from 5% of lay to peak production, lasting approximately 10 to 12 weeks. Any abnormal drop in body weight at any time should be viewed very seriously as signalling a drop in the maintenance level and corrective measures should be taken. Similarly, an abnormal increase in body weight at this stage is an indication that the bird is getting more energy than it is spending.