The Effect of Different Levels of Garden Thyme and Mint Powder on Production Performance and Egg Quality of Native Chickens

The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the effect of different levels of garden thyme and mint powder on production performance and egg quality of native chickens. The present experiment was conducted with 150 pieces of native chicken in the form of a completely random design with 5 treatments and 5 repetitions and 6 pieces of native chicken in each repetition. The experimental treatments are: treatment (A): basic diet without addition of garden thyme or mint (control treatment); treatment (B): adding 1% levels of garden thyme powder to the base diet; treatment (C): adding 1% of mint powder to the basic diet; treatment (D): adding 0.75% garden thyme powder along with 0.75% mint powder to the basic diet; and treatment (E): addition of 0.5% garden thyme powder along with 0.5% mint powder to the base diet. The results of the experiment showed that the percentage of egg production in the periods of 1-28, 28-56, 56-84 days and the whole production period of 1-84 days increased in the fifth treatment compared to the control treatment (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the weight of egg production in the periods of 1-28, 56-84 days and the whole production period of 1-84 days; However, in the period of 28-56 days, the level of birds that received 1% mint was higher (p < 0.05). The weight of the egg mass in all the tested laying periods in the birds receiving garden thyme and mint was higher than the control treatment (p < 0.05). The parameters of egg quality traits in birds receiving garden thyme and mint were significant compared to the control treatment (p < 0.05). Generally, the results of this experiment showed that the use of garden thyme and mint powder at the level of 0.5% of the basic diet of local chickens will improve the productivity and quality of eggs.
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