Scientists studied whether giving mother chickens extra zinc in their food would help their baby chicks grow better and healthier. They fed 128 mother chickens either regular food or food with added zinc (a mineral important for health). The babies hatched from mothers who got extra zinc had healthier intestines with better structures for absorbing nutrients, even though they grew at the same speed as other chicks. This research suggests that what mother chickens eat before laying eggs can affect how well their babies’ digestive systems develop, which could be important for chicken farming and possibly other animals too.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether giving mother chickens extra zinc in their diet would help their baby chicks hatch better and develop healthier digestive systems
  • Who participated: 128 mother broiler chickens (chickens raised for meat) divided into four groups, plus their baby chicks that were watched for 42 days after hatching
  • Key finding: Baby chicks from mothers who received the highest amount of added zinc (60 mg per kilogram of feed) had significantly better-developed intestines with longer, thicker finger-like structures that help absorb nutrients. More eggs also hatched successfully from these mothers.
  • What it means for you: If you raise chickens, adding zinc to mother birds’ feed may improve hatchability and gut health in baby chicks. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean the chicks will grow faster or larger—just that their digestive systems will be better developed.

The Research Details

Researchers divided 128 mother chickens into four equal groups. One group ate regular feed (the control group), while the other three groups ate the same feed but with extra zinc added in different amounts: 20, 40, or 60 milligrams per kilogram of feed. The zinc was added in a special form called zinc-methionine, which the body can use more easily than regular zinc. The mother chickens ate this food according to normal breeding guidelines for 6-8 weeks before laying eggs. Scientists then tracked how many eggs hatched successfully and examined the baby chicks’ intestines under a microscope to measure the size and structure of the tiny finger-like projections (called villi) that help absorb nutrients from food.

This research design is important because it shows what happens when you change just one thing (zinc level) in the mother’s diet while keeping everything else the same. This helps scientists understand that any differences in the babies are actually caused by the zinc, not by other factors. Looking at the intestines under a microscope is valuable because it reveals changes that might not show up in how fast the chicks grow, but could affect their long-term health and ability to absorb nutrients.

This study was published in Scientific Reports, a well-respected scientific journal. The researchers used a controlled experimental design with multiple groups and measured specific, objective outcomes (intestinal structure under a microscope). However, the study focused only on chickens, so results may not apply to other animals or humans. The study didn’t report some details that would help readers fully understand the results, such as the exact number of chicks examined.

What the Results Show

The most important finding was that baby chicks from mothers who received 60 mg/kg of added zinc had significantly better intestinal development. Their intestinal villi (the tiny finger-like structures that absorb nutrients) were longer and thicker, and they had more healthy cells in the intestinal lining compared to chicks from mothers in the other groups. The second-best results came from mothers who received 20 mg/kg of added zinc. Additionally, more eggs hatched successfully from mothers who received either 40 or 60 mg/kg of added zinc compared to the control group. Interestingly, despite having better intestines, the baby chicks didn’t actually grow larger or gain weight faster than chicks from mothers who didn’t receive extra zinc. All groups of chicks reached similar weights by 42 days old.

The study also measured fertility rates (whether eggs were fertilized) in the mother chickens. Mothers who received extra zinc showed improved fertility compared to the control group. The intestinal length of the baby chicks was similar across all groups, suggesting that the zinc mainly affected the quality of the intestinal lining rather than how long the intestines were. The improvements in intestinal structure were dose-dependent, meaning that more zinc generally led to better results, with 60 mg/kg showing the best outcomes.

Previous research has shown that zinc is essential for proper immune function and intestinal health in animals. This study builds on that knowledge by showing that giving zinc to mother animals before breeding can pass benefits to their offspring’s digestive systems. The finding that intestinal structure improved without affecting growth rate is somewhat surprising and suggests that the benefits of better intestinal development might show up later in life or under stressful conditions, rather than in normal growth.

The study only looked at chickens, so we don’t know if these results would apply to other animals or humans. The researchers didn’t report whether they looked at male and female chicks separately, which could matter since they might respond differently. The study only followed chicks for 42 days, so we don’t know if the intestinal improvements lasted longer or affected the chickens’ health later in life. The study didn’t measure whether the chicks actually absorbed nutrients better, only that their intestines looked better under a microscope. Finally, the study didn’t compare organic zinc to inorganic zinc in the mother’s diet, so we can’t be sure that the type of zinc matters.

The Bottom Line

For chicken farmers: Consider adding 40-60 mg/kg of organic zinc (zinc-methionine) to breeder chicken feed to improve hatchability and offspring intestinal health. This recommendation has moderate confidence since it’s based on one well-designed study. For the general public: This research is primarily relevant to poultry farming and doesn’t directly apply to human nutrition, though it adds to our understanding of how maternal nutrition affects offspring development.

Chicken farmers and poultry producers should pay attention to this research, as improving hatchability and gut health in chicks could reduce losses and improve farm efficiency. Veterinarians who work with poultry may find this useful for advising farmers. Researchers studying how maternal nutrition affects offspring development in other animals might find this interesting. This research is NOT directly applicable to human pregnancy or infant nutrition, as chickens have very different digestive systems than humans.

The benefits would appear relatively quickly—improved hatchability would be noticeable within the first breeding cycle (typically 6-8 weeks), and intestinal development changes would be visible by the time chicks are 6 weeks old. However, whether these intestinal improvements translate to practical benefits (like better disease resistance or feed efficiency) might take longer to observe.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • For poultry farmers using a farm management app: Track hatchability percentage weekly and compare it to baseline before and after implementing zinc supplementation. Measure: (number of chicks hatched ÷ number of eggs set) × 100. Target: Increase from baseline by 5-10%.
  • If managing a poultry operation: Adjust breeder feed formulation to include 40-60 mg/kg of zinc-methionine, replacing equivalent inorganic zinc. Document the change in your feed supplier records and track resulting hatchability rates in your farm management system.
  • Monitor hatchability rates for at least 2-3 breeding cycles (12-24 weeks) after implementing zinc supplementation to see if improvements match the research findings. Also track chick mortality and health issues in the first 6 weeks of life to see if better intestinal development translates to fewer health problems. Keep records of feed costs to ensure the zinc supplementation is economically worthwhile.

This research specifically studied chickens and should not be applied to human pregnancy or infant nutrition without consulting a healthcare provider. The findings are based on one study and should be considered preliminary. Poultry farmers considering zinc supplementation should consult with a veterinarian or poultry nutritionist to ensure the supplementation is appropriate for their specific operation and complies with local regulations. This information is for educational purposes and does not replace professional veterinary or medical advice.