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Customers sometimes notice green gel pearls in a turkey shipping box or receive a packet of AquaStart with their poultry order. AquaStart is there to help newly arrived chicks and poults get electrolyte-enriched hydration and find their feed during the first hours after shipping.
 

What Is AquaStart?

Aquastart is a ready-to-use feed topper for newly hatched chicks, turkey poults, and other day-old poultry.

The small, translucent green pearls provide hydration and contain added nutrients, including electrolytes and betaine. Electrolytes support nerve and heart function, while betaine is an amino acid derivative that helps chicks handle stress. When sprinkled over starter feed, the bright green color catches the attention of young birds and helps them find their feed quickly, and gives them more time to find their water source.

AquaStart can be used in two ways. It can be placed in a hatchery shipping box to provide mess-free hydration during transit, or sprinkled over starter feed after the birds arrive home to help with brooder transition.

There is no mixing or measuring required. The product is ready to use straight from the bag.

Why Some Orders Include an AquaStart Packet

We include a free packet of AquaStart with some of our most popular poultry orders, including:

• 50+ Cornish Cross chicks
• Broad Breasted White turkeys
• Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys
• Artisan Gold turkeys
• Mini Classic turkeys

The packet is to be used after the birds arrive. 

Supporting a Smooth Transition After Shipping

The first hours after chicks or poults arrive are some of the most important. They are adjusting to a new environment, new temperatures, and new surroundings after the stress of shipping.

AquaStart helps ease that transition by giving them an immediate, visible source of enriched hydration right where they need it. The bright green pearls naturally draw their attention, giving them a hydration boost and kickstarting their heart and gut development with electrolytes and betaine.

For help getting ready for your birds, read our guide to caring for shipped chicks.

 

Encouraging Early Feeding Behavior

Baby chicks and poults are naturally curious and will peck at things that catch their attention. AquaStart’s bright green pearls stand out on top of starter feed, helping draw birds toward the feeder and encouraging them to begin eating.

Getting birds to start eating and drinking right away supports stronger early development and helps them settle into the brooder.
 

Why It Matters Even More for Turkeys

Turkey poults can be more prone to “starve-out,” where they fail to find feed and water in their first week. Because of this, they often benefit from extra encouragement to begin eating and drinking as soon as possible.

AquaStart provides that added support by making their food more noticeable and easier for poults to engage with. This helps reduce the risk of birds falling behind early and gives you more confidence that your flock has a solid start.

Why Myers Poultry Puts AquaStart in Shipping Boxes

We add AquaStart to some of our turkey shipping boxes to provide a source of hydration while the poults are in transit.

We have tried different hydration products over the years, including a mash mixture, but AquaStart has worked the best for our shipping setup. The small pearls are easy for poults to eat, and the product is much less messy inside the box. We've noticed that they are very attracted to it, much more than the hydration cubes we also add to the box.

By using AquaStart, we have shortened the time it takes to pack each order, which helps move poults from hatch to the local post office more quickly, while also giving them an extra source of mess-free hydration during their journey.

Does AquaStart Replace Drinking Water?

No. AquaStart does not replace fresh drinking water, but the hydration boost does give them more time to find their water source.

Chicks and poults should have clean water available as soon as they enter the brooder. AquaStart should be used along with the correct starter feed, proper heat, and a prepared waterer.

When placing the birds in the brooder, make sure they know where the water is and watch them closely to confirm that they begin eating and drinking.

How to Use the AquaStart Packet

The packet is meant to be used after the birds arrive.

Prepare the brooder and fill the feeders with the correct starter feed. Drain the extra liquid from the AquaStart bag, then sprinkle the green pearls evenly over the top of the feed.

Spread the product across enough feeder space for the whole flock rather than placing it in one pile.

Use the packet all at once or reseal and store it in a cool, dry place for later use. You can use as much as needed for your flock.

 

A Simple Way to Help Poultry Settle In

We use AquaStart because it is easy to apply, clean enough for our shipping boxes, and attractive to young poultry.

Whether it is added to a turkey shipping box or sprinkled over feed after arrival, AquaStart gives chicks and poults another source of moisture while helping guide them toward their starter feed.

We source AquaStart from Agro Products LLC. They offer packet and bulk for growers of all sizes. Shop Aquastart from Agro Products. 

Preparing for a chick order? Read our day-old chick brooder guide.