Influence of feeding manipulations and homeopathic drugs on performance and egg shell quality in laying hens during hot summer months

An experiment was conducted for a period of 30 days in a 6×2 factorial design using six treatments (early morning feeding at 5 am, 0.1% NaHCO₃ in feed, 0.3% MHA-FA in feed, control and two homeopathic medicines administered through drinking water) along with two (Fish meal and Soybean based) iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric basal diets in order to overcome the problem of poor egg shell quality during hot and dry climatic condition through feeding manipulation and administering homeopathic drugs (Kali Phos and Calc Carb). Total ninety six WLH laying hens were divided into 12 groups with eight birds each kept in specially designed individual cages. Parameters related to egg production and egg quality were studied. Methionine (MHA-FA) helped more in body weight gain, egg weigh, maintaining albumen quality and also in shell quality improvement. Sodium bi-carbonate and homeopathic medicines were effective in improving various egg quality parameters including shell quality. Early morning feeding failed to produce expected result as explained by various researchers. All treatments did not yield similar result with FM and non-FM based ration. Nonetheless, FM based ration by itself was more beneficial in maintaining production of hen. Therefore, to combat poor egg quality in summer a combination of management approach would be effective in laying hen.