THE VITAMIN REQUIREMENTS OF GROWING

CHICKENS
H. H. MITCHEL·L·, F . E. K E N D A L L AND L . E . CARD
University of Illinois

With several fairly recent demonstrations that the chicken

can be raised successfully under laboratory conditions, and that
its food requirements can be covered by the synthetic rations
(composed largely of purified nutrients) that have heretofore
been used only with rats and mice, the popularity and usefulness
of this animal as an experimental subject is undoubtedly increas­
ing. In laboratories primarily interested in the nutrition of
farm animals, the chicken may be used, not only in the solution
of general problems in nutrition, but also of problems in practi­
cal poultry husbandry. If the experimental work in such labora­
tories is to be the most widely appreciated, it is undoubtedly of
great advantage to work with animals of economic importance
on the farm. The chicken possesses many of the advantages of
the rat as an experimental animal, in size, food consumption,
rapidity of growth, etc., but it must be constantly borne in mind
that it is not a mammal, and may be qualitativelji^ different from
mammals in its nutrient requirements.
As regards its requirements for vitamins, it has been shown
by Plimmer and Rosedale^ that the growing chick needs relative­
ly large amounts of vitamin B, and that, failing to receive its
full quota of this food factor, the symtoms of "leg weakness"
will develop, with ultimate death, if the dietary deficiency is not
corrected by the addition of a good source of this vitamin, such
as dried yeast or extract of yeast. It cannot be concluded from
this work, however, that the cereal grains need supplementing
with vitamin Β concentrates in the feeding of growing chicks,
since Plimmer and Rosedale used kilned oat meal as the basis of
their experimental rations. This manufactured product is very
probably poor in all vitamins because of the method used in its
manufacture.

i R . H. A. Plimmer, and J. S. Rosedale: Biochem. J., 1922, XVI, 11.

J^j^g POULTRY SCIENCE

On the other hand, Emmett and Peacock^ in their experience

in the rearing of chicks under artificial conditions, observed the
effects of deficiencies of vitamins A and B. On rations deficient
in vitamin B, they induced distinct symptoms of polyneuritis
in 10 to 12 days, but nothing described as leg weakness. On a ra-
tion deficient in vitamin A the chicks continued to gain in weight
for a longer time than those on the preceding ration. In 14 to 21
days, however, they showed a weakness of the legs, poor condi-
tion of the feathers, anemia, an edema about the eyes culminat-
ing in opthalmia, and beading of the ribs. The vitamin C re-
quirement was stated to be much less than that of vitamins A
and B.
In a continuation of previous work on the nutritional require-
ments of baby chicks. Hart, Halpin, and Steenbock^ confirmed
the results of Emmett and Peacock as to the causal relation ex-
isting between dietary deficiency and leg weakness. On a ration
of white corn and skim milk from the time of hatching, the chicks
with few exceptions ceased to grow in 4 to 6 weeks, and died sud-
denly soon after, with symptoms of leg weakness in some cases.
A liberal addition of cod liver oil to this ration (5 per cent), in
all cases prevented catastrophe, and permitted excellent and
uniform rates of growth from 40 gm. to 700 gm. in weight. Be-
sides demonstrating the need of vitamin A by growing chicks,
and the development of leg weakness if this need is not met by
the ration, these experiments show that thé ration of com and
skim milk ad libitum contained sufficient amounts of vitamins
Β and C for good growth and continued well being. These in­
vestigators point out, however, that they are unable to decide
whether the beneficial effect of cod liver oil is due to its content
of vitamin A or to its content of the antirachitic vitamin. Cod
liver oil is known to be a potent curative in infantile and ex­
perimental rickets, and the suspicion that possibly the antirachitic
factor is involved in these experiments is strengthened by the
blood analysis performed on some of the experimental birds. In

2A. D. Emmett and G. E. Peacock; Proo. Amer. Soc. Biol. Chem.,

p. 40, 1921: J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 50, February, 1922.
3E. B. Hart, J. G. Halpin, and H. Steenbock: J. Biol. Chem., 1922,
LII, 379.
 VITAMIN REQUIREMENTS OF CHICKENS Hg

animals not receiving the cod liver oil supplement and conse-
quently in a weakened condition the inorganic phosphorous con-
tent of the blood was low as compared with that of those birds
receiving cod liver oil. This condition of a subnormal inorganic
phosphorous content of the blood has been observed in infants
suffering from rickets.*
Prom the recent experimental work here reviewed it appears
that rations ordinarily fed to chickens on the farm would prob-
ably not be deficient in vitamin B, consisting as they do largely
of mixtures of whole cereal seeds. The possibility of a deficiency
in vitamins A and C in such rations appears to exist. With the
idea of throwing further light on this question the experiment
described below was planned and undertaken.
Two groups of 25 Rhode Island Red chicks were started on ex-
periment immediately after hatching. They were kept in an attic
room in small pens with an electric brooder common to both but
divided so that there was no access from one pen to the other.
One pen received a ration consisting of coarsely ground white
corn (Iowa Silver Mine) and a mash containing 1 part of tank-
age, 2 parts of white corn bran, and the mealy portion from 3
parts of ground white corn, the coarser portion serving as the
scratch feed. The second group was fed the same ration except
for the substitution of yellow for white corn. Later small por-
tions of dried yeast were added to the mash to insure a sufficiency
of vitamin B. As the experiment progressed the proportion of
cracked corn to mash was gradually increased.
During the first seven weeks of comparison on these two ra-
tions the food intake was regulated so that each group received
approximately the same amount of feed per unit of live weight.
The food records in themselves are not of any particular value
in view of the continual diminution in the size of the groups
caused by death.
Judging from tests on rats, the white corn ration,must have
contained only minimal amounts of vitamin A, while the yellow
corn ration contained enough of this vitamin for good growth in

4 J. Howland and B. Kramer: Amer. J. Dis. Child; 1921, XXII, 105.

Also Proc. Amer. Soc. Biol. Chem., p. 21, 1921: J. Biol. Chem., Vol. L·,
February, 1922.
5^20 POULTRY SCIENCE

rats. On the vitamin-poor ration, as Table I sho-ws, little growth

was secured. None of the chicks would have survived 7 weeks if
not saved by the administration of cod liver oil. All of them,
with the exception of two which died very early, developed leg
weakness in the course of 3 or 4 weeks. Eighteen were dead at
the end of the seventh week. Seven were saved by the adminis-
tration of cod liver oil, after developing leg weakness and show-
ing unmistakable signs of collapse. These seven birds were con-
tinued on the white corn ration supplemented with this oil and

TABLE I—RECORDS OF C H I C K S ON W H I T E CORN AND YELLOW CORN

RATIONS FOR ELEVEN WEEKS

WHITE CORN CHICKS YELLOW CORN CHICKS

A verage Wei ght of Average Weight of
Number Number Survivors at Number Number Survivors at
Week Dead of Survivors End of W eck Dead of Survivors End of Week
0 _ __ 39 _ __ 41
1 1 24 51 1 24 52
2 1 23 67 0 24 68
3 3 20 84 0 24 84
4 5 15 107 0 24 116
5 1 14 147 2b 22 151
6 4 3" 4 18 173
7 3 0 1 10c 207
8 _ _ 1 8<i 214
9 _ _ 3 5 225
10 _ _ 0 4d 214
11 _ _ ._- 2 2 245

" Seven chicks in t h e w h i t e corn group were given cod liver oil in the
fifth week, t h u s forming another group.
b These two chicks died (probably from t h e excessive heat of their
q u a r t e r s ) on May 10 and 11. Both groups of chickens were brought
down from the attic d u r i n g this week.
<: Seven chicks in t h e yellow corn group were given cod liver oil at
t h s time and removed from this group.
d Another chick was removed from t h i s group d u r i n g t h i s week and
given cod liver oil.

reached weights of 660 to !)05 grains, averaging 775 grams at the

end of the twelfth week of the experiment.
In the yellow corn group the effects of the dietary deficiency
did not appear until later. Neglecting one death on the third
 VITAMIN REQUIREMENTS OF CHICKENS 121

day, the first deaths, two, did not occur until the fifth week, and
these were directly attributable to the excessively hot weather at
that time. In this week, both groups of birds were taken to more
comfortable quarters in the laboratory on a lower fioor. Four
more deaths occurred in this group in the sixth week and one
more in the seventh, making a total of seven fatalities in this
group as compared with eighteen in the white corn group at the
same time. One death resulted in the eighth week, three in the
ninth, and two in the eleventh. The two survivors lived for five
weeks more on this diet in a miserable condition, and were final-
ly destroyed.
In this group all of the chickens that died showed symptoms
of leg weakness, though none of the subjects in this or the white
corn group showed any obvious abnormalities of the eyes, as re-
ported by some investigators in chickens deprived of vitamin A.
Eight birds in this group were saved from death by the adminis-
tration of cod liver oil and attained weights of 600 to 880 grams,
averaging 729 grams, at the end of the twelfth experimental
week. Success after the administration of this oil was invariable
if the condition of the bird was such that it lived for forty-eight
hours after the first dose, which was given by pipette. After the
first few days, the oil was mixed with the mash, constituting about
two per cent by weight, though possibly smaller amounts would
have been sufficient.
The experiment thus far showed that the growing chick has a
rather intense requirement of vitamin A, even more so than the
rat, since the yellow com ration used in this experiment would
not have led to disastrous results with rats. It also showed that
a dietary deficiency of vitamin A will almost invariably lead to
leg weakness in growing chicks.
It will be noted that the rations used contained no feed pos-
sessing demonstrable amounts of vitamin C. Hence, it seemed
reasonable to conclude that growing chicks do not need this
vitamin. To test the matter further, however, starting in the
thirteenth week of the experiment the birds were all put upon a
ration of yellow com, tankage, yeast, and cod liver oil, and were
divided into two groups, one to receive an addition of vitamin C,
and the other to receive no such supplement. Each of these
122 · POULTRY SCIENCE

groups contained three chicks from the original white corn lot
and three or four from the yellow corn group. The source of
vitamin C chosen was fresh undiluted tomato juice. To the
•first group of birds untreated juice was given. To the second
group a like amount of juice that had been made distinctly alka-
line with NaOH boiled, and neutralized with HCl to destroy
the vitamin, was given. In order to make the two supplements
exactly equivalent except for the content of vitamin 0, an amount
of NaCl was added,to the untreated juice to equal that formed in
the treated juice. For the first two and a half weeks, 30 cc. of
juice was given to each group per day, mixed with the mash ; after
' this time the daily amount was raised to 100 cc.
As the data in Table II show, no advantages in rate of growth
accrued to the chickens receiving vitamin C in their ration. Sta-
tistically the two groups are not to be distinguished from one an-
other.
From this test, and from the preceding growth period on ra-
tions practically devoid of vitamin C, the conclusion seems well
justified that the chicken, like the rat, is not susceptible to scurvy
and therefore does not need the antiscorbutic vitamin, vitamin C.
As regards practical poultry husbandry, it seems, therefore,
that the only vitamins that need be considered in the balancing
of rations for growing chicks, are vitamin A, the requirement of
which is so intense that the cereal grains must be supplemented
by feeds richer in the vitamin, and possibly the antirachitic vita-
min. Yellow corn in all probability contains a greater concen- •
tration of vitamin A than wheat, oats, rye, or barley, and yet
evidently its vitamin content needs supplementing even when it
constitutes the major portion of the ration of growing chicks.
Fresh green feed is the logical supplement for this purpose. Al-
falfa meal would also serve the purpose well. The value of this
feed as a constitutent of the mash of growing chicks (and prob-
ably of breeding hens) would appear to be high, as regards vita-
mins, minerals, and protein, and is worthy of investigation.
 VITAMIN REQUIREMENTS OF CHICKENS 123

TABLE I I — W E I G H T RECOEDS OF C H I C K E N S RECEIVING RATIONS CONTAINING

AND LACKING V I T A M I N C
(All weights a r e expressed in g r a m s )

Chickens on Ration Not Containing Vitamin C

Group
Age 2* 13* 21* 38 44 48 49 Average
12 805 760 905 600 640 830 440. 712
14 1150 1120 1330 810 840 1000 600 979
16 1490 1410 1600 960 1045 1260 810 1225
17 1570 1448 1657 961, 1093 1228 855· 1260
1.8 1789 1647 1884 1115 1282 1362 1035 1445
20 2099 1905 2155 1314 1558 1607 1238 1697
21 2127 1922 2130 1255 1524 1575 1222 1679

Total Gain 1322 1162 1225 655 884 745 782 968±62
Chickens on R a t i o n Containing Vitamin C
Group
Age 1* 20* 22* 29 30 42 Average
12 660 880 840 770 760 540 742
14 830 970 1140 1065 1075 740 970
16 960 960 1390 1370 1347 970 1166
17 970 919 1420 1414 1410 1047 1197
18 1062 950- 1518 1498 1562 1164 1292
20 1222 1207 1668 1664 1665 1378 1467
21 1233 1125 1661 1711 1674 1428 1472

Total Gain 573 245 821 941 914 730±69

Difference between average total gains 238i i93
* These chickens were raised on the white corn r a t i o n plus cod
liver oil. T h e others were raised on the yellow corn ration plus cod
liver oil.

Wheat middlings and bran are possibly, fairly good sources of

vitamin A. Skim milk, butter milk, and animal feeds available
in practice cannot be regarded as good vitamin supplements.
As an emergency remedy for young chicks exhibiting symp-
toms of leg weakness of probable dietary origin, cod liver oil is
to be highly recommended. It is the most potent vitamin A con-
centrate known, and in our experience is a remarkable therapeutic
agent in such cases. Only the highest grade oil should be used,
since the vitamin content of inferior specimens cannot be guaran-
teed. The cost is not prohibitive and the dosage is small.
124 POULTRY SCIENCE

Our experiments do not indicate whether chickens do or do

not need the antirachitic vitamin, since the tankage used in the
rations probably furnished sufficient calcium and phosphorus to
protect against rickets. It occurs to us that probably the same
was true in the work of Hart, Halpin, and Steenbock, provided
considerable quantities of skim milk were consumed.
CONCLUSIONS
1. Growing chickens have a distinctly greater requirement
for vitamin A than rats, in the sense that their rations must con-
tain a markedly greater concentration of the vitamin to avoid
disaster and promote growth.
2. Leg weakness almost invariably resulted from continued
subsistence on rations poor in vitamin A. Small doses of cod
liver oil were potent remedies for this condition.
3. The chicken is not susceptible to scurvy analogous to human
scurvy, and therefore may thrive on rations devoid of vitamin C.