Chickens need fat-soluble vitamins for good growth and health. These vitamins help with many body functions and work differently than water-soluble ones.
Vitamin A does a lot for chickens. It helps their eyes work right and keeps their immune system strong. When chickens don't get enough vitamin A, they lay fewer eggs and get sick easier. Their skin also gets tough and scaly. You can tell a chicken might need more vitamin A if they start having breathing problems or watery eyes.
Vitamin D is super important for chicken bones. Without it, laying hens make eggs with thin shells that break easy. Baby chicks develop rickets - their legs get bent and weak. The right amount of vitamin D helps birds use calcium properly. Most chicken feed has added vitamin D3, which works better than other forms.
Vitamin E works as an antioxidant in chicken bodies. It protects cells from damage. Chickens who don't get enough vitamin E might get "crazy chick disease" where their brains don't work right. Fast-growing meat birds need more vitamin E than slower-growing ones. Feeding fish meal or other fish products means you need to add extra vitamin E to prevent problems.
Vitamin K helps blood clot properly. If chickens don't have enough, they might bleed too much from small cuts or after procedures like beak trimming. Green leafy ingredients in feed provide vitamin K, but sometimes extra supplements are needed.
Water-soluble vitamins play key roles in chicken health. These vitamins dissolve in water and chickens need them daily.
Thiamine (B₁) helps nerves work right. Chickens without enough thiamine get polyneuritis, where they can't control their movements. They might turn their heads upside down or sit on their hocks. Some birds even die suddenly without showing any signs first.
Riboflavin (B₂) affects growth and feather health. The most obvious sign of not enough riboflavin is "curled-toe paralysis." Chicks' toes curl inward, and they can't walk right. Their feathers also look rough and don't grow well.
Corn-based diets don't have much niacin naturally, so it's usually added to chicken feed. Without enough niacin, fast-growing birds get leg problems and their mouths get inflamed. Corn gluten meal provides protein but needs niacin supplements.
Choline chloride is super important for chicken health. It helps prevent fatty liver syndrome and improves egg production. Chickens that don't get enough choline grow slower and their livers don't work right. Most commercial feeds add extra choline to prevent these problems.
Folic acid and vitamin B₁₂ work together to help blood cell formation. They're really important for chicken embryos developing inside eggs. Breeder hens need enough of these vitamins to produce healthy chicks.
Biotin deficiency causes skin problems around chickens' eyes, beaks, and feet. Their footpads crack and get inflamed. Some ingredients like raw egg whites can prevent biotin absorption, so they should be cooked before feeding.
Macrominerals are needed in larger amounts than trace minerals. They form the foundation of chicken bone health and body functions.
Calcium and phosphorus work as a team for bone building. The right ratio (usually 2:1) is just as important as the total amount. Laying hens need tons of calcium - about 3.5-4.0% of their diet - to make strong eggshells daily. If the shells get thinner than 0.2mm, they break too easily.
Dicalcium phosphate is often added to feed as a good source of both calcium and phosphorus. Baby chicks need about 1% calcium in their diet, but this drops to around 0.8% as they grow. Too much calcium for meat birds can cause kidney stones.
Sodium and chloride balance is critical for nerve function and water balance. Chickens that don't get enough salt grow 10-15% slower than normal. They also start pecking at strange things, trying to find salt. Too much salt is also bad and makes birds drink and pee too much.
Potassium helps muscles work properly and balances body fluids. Most plant ingredients have plenty of potassium, so deficiencies aren't common. However, during heat stress, chickens might need more.
Magnesium helps more than 300 enzyme systems work properly. It's also part of bones. Most feeds have enough magnesium naturally, but sometimes extra is added. Signs of deficiency include slow growth, muscle spasms, and poor feathering.
Trace minerals are needed in tiny amounts but make a huge difference in chicken health. Each one has specific roles in bodily functions.
Manganese prevents perosis, or slipped tendons, in growing chickens. Birds with this condition have deformed legs that bend outward. Adding 60-120 parts per million (ppm) of manganese to feed improves bone strength and eggshell quality.
Zinc helps with feather growth and skin health. Chickens without enough zinc get dermatitis (skin inflammation) and their feathers look rough. Zinc also helps with immune function and wound healing. The right amount is usually between 40-80 ppm in the diet.
Selenium works with vitamin E as an antioxidant. Modern studies show that organic selenium (like selenium yeast) works better than inorganic forms. It reduces muscle problems like white striping by 30-40%. Chickens only need a tiny amount - about 0.2-0.3 ppm in their diet.
Copper helps iron metabolism and collagen formation. Without enough copper, chickens develop anemia and weak bones. However, too much copper (over 250 ppm) can damage the liver. The sweet spot is usually 8-10 ppm in feed.
Iron is needed for oxygen transport in blood. Deficiency causes anemia with pale combs and wattles. Most feeds have enough iron naturally, but sometimes extra is added, especially in areas with low soil iron.
Vitamins and minerals don't work alone - they interact with each other in complex ways that affect how well chickens grow.
Vitamin D and calcium have a close relationship. Vitamin D helps chickens absorb calcium from their gut. Without enough vitamin D, even high-calcium diets won't prevent leg problems or thin eggshells. The active form of vitamin D increases calcium absorption by 50-70%.
Some minerals compete with each other for absorption. Too much zinc (over 100 ppm) reduces copper absorption. If you add more than 100 ppm of zinc, you also need to increase copper levels to keep things balanced.
Research shows that organic minerals (attached to amino acids or other organic compounds) work better than inorganic forms. A study found that using the full vitamin mix with organic minerals improved weight gain by 18% compared to inorganic mineral sources. The birds' leg bones were also stronger.
Storage affects vitamin stability in premixes. Inorganic iron and copper speed up vitamin breakdown. Vitamin A levels can drop by 40% after just 30 days of storage when mixed with certain minerals. This explains why using organic mineral forms (like zinc methionine instead of zinc sulfate) improves feed conversion by 12%.
To get the most from vitamin-mineral premixes:
Chickens need different nutrients as they grow and develop. Their requirements change dramatically over time.
Meat chickens (broilers) grow super fast and need different diets at different ages. Here's what they need:
| Age Phase | Energy (kcal/kg) | Protein (%) | Calcium (%) | Available Phosphorus (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter (0-10 days) | 3,000 | 22-24 | 0.90-1.00 | 0.45-0.50 |
| Grower (11-24 days) | 3,100 | 20-22 | 0.85-0.90 | 0.40-0.45 |
| Finisher (25-42 days) | 3,200 | 18-20 | 0.80-0.85 | 0.35-0.40 |
As broilers get older, they need less protein but more energy. A 2020 study found that lowering calcium from 1.0% to 0.8% in the finisher period improved feed efficiency by 4.2% without hurting bone strength.
Vitamin needs also change with age. Young chicks need higher levels of B vitamins, especially riboflavin and niacin. Older birds might need more vitamin E and selenium to prevent oxidative stress in their larger muscles.
Egg-laying chickens have different needs than meat birds. Here's what pullets (young female chickens) need before they start laying:
| Age | Protein (%) | Methionine (%) | Calcium (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-6 weeks | 18-20 | 0.40-0.45 | 0.90-1.00 |
| 7-12 weeks | 15-16 | 0.35-0.40 | 0.80-0.90 |
| 13-18 weeks | 14-15 | 0.30-0.35 | 0.80-0.90 |
Once pullets start laying eggs (around 18 weeks), their calcium needs jump dramatically to 3.5-4.0%. Amino acids like methionine and lysine are essential for egg production and feather maintenance.
The particle size of calcium sources matters too. Larger particles (2-4 mm) of limestone stay in the gut longer and release calcium slowly during the night when eggshells form. This helps prevent thin shells and calcium depletion from bones.
Not all mineral forms are created equal. The source of minerals makes a big difference in how well chickens can use them.
Organic trace minerals (OTMs) are bound to organic molecules like amino acids or proteins. This makes them easier for chickens to absorb and use. Here's how much better they work:
| Mineral | Inorganic Source | Organic Source | Improvement in Bioavailability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zinc | Zinc sulfate | Zinc methionine | 25-30% |
| Manganese | Manganese oxide | Manganese proteinate | 35-40% |
| Selenium | Sodium selenite | Selenium yeast | 50-60% |
A big review of 32 broiler studies found that organic minerals improved weight gain by 6.8% and reduced leg problems by 42% compared to inorganic sources. That's a huge difference!
In egg-laying hens, replacing just 30% of inorganic manganese with an organic form increased eggshell thickness by 8.3% and reduced cracked eggs by 15%. This means more sellable eggs and less waste.
While organic minerals cost more upfront, the improved performance usually makes them worth it. Many farms use a mix of organic and inorganic sources to balance cost and benefits.
Knowing the science is one thing, but applying it on the farm is another. Here are practical ways to make sure chickens get the vitamins and minerals they need.
Vitamin stability is a big concern in real-world feed storage. Vitamin E can lose 40-50% of its potency within a month of storage. Newer microencapsulation technologies help preserve sensitive vitamins like thiamine and riboflavin, keeping 90% active after two months.
Heat during feed processing destroys some vitamins. Vitamin C is completely destroyed during pelleting unless protected. Liquid vitamin sprays applied after pelleting can reduce these losses from 25% to less than 5%.
Common supplementation strategies include:
Feed yeast provides natural B vitamins and improves gut health. Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's yeast) is particularly helpful during stress or after antibiotic treatment.
Modern farming increasingly uses precision nutrition, adjusting vitamin and mineral levels based on:
Natural feed additives like allicin/garlicin can improve nutrient utilization and reduce the need for some supplements while supporting immune function.
The most common deficiencies are vitamin A (causing eye/respiratory issues), vitamin D (causing leg problems), riboflavin (causing curled-toe paralysis), and vitamin E (causing encephalomalacia or "crazy chick disease").
Signs include poor growth, leg deformities, thin eggshells, reduced egg production, and poor feathering. A proper mineral balance is especially important for fast-growing broilers to prevent leg issues.
No. Human supplements aren't formulated for poultry needs and may contain inappropriate levels or ingredients that are harmful to birds. Always use products specifically formulated for poultry.
Research consistently shows improved performance with organic minerals, with benefits like 6.8% better weight gain and 42% fewer leg problems. For professional operations, the return on investment usually justifies the cost.
Calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D directly impact shell quality. Trace minerals like manganese and zinc affect shell thickness and strength. B-vitamins affect interior egg quality, while vitamin E extends shelf life.
Yes. Too much calcium in broilers can cause kidney stones. Excess selenium is toxic. Very high vitamin A can interfere with vitamin D absorption. Always follow recommended inclusion rates.
Yes. Higher levels of certain vitamins (especially A, C, and E) help birds cope with stress or disease challenges. Many farms use a "challenge premix" with boosted levels during these periods.
Heat, moisture, and storage time all reduce vitamin potency. Pelleting can destroy up to 25% of some vitamins. Protected forms or post-pelleting application helps preserve vitamin activity.
Chelated (organic) minerals are bound to organic compounds like amino acids, making them more bioavailable. Inorganic minerals (like oxides and sulfates) are less expensive but not as well absorbed.
Using organic mineral sources, maintaining proper vitamin D levels, ensuring correct calcium-phosphorus ratios, and supporting gut health with prebiotics like yeast all improve mineral utilization.
