Using of fennel seeds (Foeniculum vulgare) as feed additives in broiler chick diets.

The current study set out to determine how broiler chicks' development performanceand economic efficiency would be affected by the addition of fennel seed powder as a naturalfeed supplement. One hundred eighty Arbor-Acres broiler chicks, all unsexed, were assignedrandomly into four groups, each consisting of three replicates. At 0, 1, 2, and 3%,respectively, the chicks were given ad-libitum starter (1-3 weeks days of age) and grower (4-6weeks of age) basal diets supplemented with or without fennel seed powder. The resultsrevealed the following: Body weight, weight gain, and ratio of feed conversion of broilerchicks were significantly (p<0.05) improved when powdered fennel seeds at all levels wereadded to the control diets during all experimental periods. At the beginning of the experiment,broiler chicks' feed consumption increased (p<0.05) by addition fennel seed powder to theirdiets; however, during the growth and full experimental periods, this increase in feedconsumption was negligible (p>0.05).