According to a study led by Vine Christensen, a poultry sciences researcher at North Carolina State University in the U.S., feeding hens with iodine-enriched diets can significantly improve both egg hatchability and chick health. The research found that when hens are given feed supplemented with iodine, the eggs they lay have a higher hatching rate, and the resulting chicks are not only healthier but also grow faster. In the study, Dr. Christensen’s team added 4% iodine to the hen’s feed, which led to a 4% increase in chick hatchability and a 50% improvement in post-hatch survival rates. Moreover, the growth rate of the chicks was notably enhanced within just six days after hatching. This suggests that iodine plays a crucial role in supporting the development of young birds. In recent years, American geneticists have focused on increasing turkey growth rates through transgenic methods. However, these techniques often lead to developmental imbalances, particularly in vital organs like the heart and lungs. As a result, even though turkey embryos may have enough strength to break out of their shells, other essential systems might not be fully developed, leading to low survival rates among newly hatched chicks. By incorporating iodine into the diet of hens, this issue can be mitigated. Iodine helps ensure more balanced organ development in embryos, improving their chances of survival and overall health. This natural and cost-effective approach offers a promising alternative to genetic modification. The cost of adding iodine to hen feed is minimal—just a few cents per ton of feed. Despite this low investment, the benefits are significant. In the U.S., around 300 to 360 million young turkeys are hatched annually. With improved hatchability and survival rates, using iodine-enriched feed could save chicken farmers up to $17 million each year in losses. Additionally, it could provide further economic advantages by reducing the time needed before turkeys are ready for market.

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