Gut Health: The Hidden Key to Profitable Poultry Farming
By Sandra Neddy
For most farmers, feed is like gold dust. Every scoop poured into the feeder is an investment—a hope that tomorrow’s chickens will be heavier, healthier, and ready for the market.
However, that hope doesn’t always suffice. Birds fall sick, growth slows, and farmers spend more money on medicine and extra feed, reducing profits.
What if the solution is not in buying more drugs or switching feed brands, but in paying attention to something simple yet often neglected: the health of the poultry gut? This invisible system is the quiet difference between a struggling venture and a profitable one.
Gut health
Gut health refers to the condition of a chicken’s digestive system—from the gut lining to the balance of good and bad bacteria. It is also a major determinant of immunity. Scientists estimate nearly 70 percent of a bird’s immunity is linked to the gut.
Healthy guts help birds resist diseases, while unhealthy ones lead to weak flocks, extra costs, and frustration.
“The aim is to provide an environment in the gut where the bad bacteria cannot thrive, only the good bacteria,” says Ranier van Herden, business manager for ruminant solutions in Sub-Saharan Africa at Evonik.
Ignoring gut health is costly. Farmers can spend thousands on quality feed only for it to go to waste if poorly digested. Instead of building muscles and weight, the bird weakens because nutrients pass through unused.
Medical bills also add up since an unhealthy gut breeds bacteria such as salmonella, E. coli, or coccidiosis. Treating them costs money, time, and sometimes the entire flock.
“Sometimes what hurts the farmer is that subliminal loss, that 10% loss that they didn’t anticipate,’’ says Melanie Frisch, Regional Technical Manager IMEA at Biochem.
Gut health and profit
Farmers who prioritize gut health soon notice the difference. Healthy guts improve feed conversion—birds utilize more nutrients from the same amount of feed, reach market weight faster, and with less input.
They also reduce the farmer’s visits to the agrovet. Stronger guts mean fewer cases of diarrhoea, stunted growth, or sudden deaths. Productivity improves as layers produce more and better-quality eggs, while broilers grow uniformly, attracting buyers. Mortality also reduces, ensuring more birds reach market age.
Food safety benefits too. Birds with balanced gut microbiota shed fewer harmful bacteria like Salmonella, reducing contamination in meat and eggs. For farmers targeting supermarkets or export markets, where standards are strict, gut health is non-negotiable.
Signs of poor gut health
Poor gut health shows up in birds’ daily performance. Affected birds may eat a lot but remain thin. Farmers may see watery droppings, uneven flock growth, frequent disease outbreaks, or dull, ruffled feathers. Layers may lay fewer or poorer-quality eggs, while broilers take longer to reach market weight.
A 2018 review on Biomarkers for Monitoring Intestinal Health in Poultry noted the epithelial lining as one of the clearest indicators of gut health. This thin layer of cells absorbs nutrients while blocking harmful bacteria.
Healthy linings are smooth and intact, maximizing nutrient absorption. Unhealthy ones are patchy, with shortened villi and deeper crypts, opening the door for infections.
“The mentality is not to run away from the bacteria but to control the bacteria,” adds van Herden.
Maintaining gut health
The good news is that maintaining gut health does not always require expensive measures. “Farmers sometimes overlook basic things like clean water and good litter management, yet these are the foundation of gut health,” says veterinary doctor Alvin Juma.
Clean water is non-negotiable since contaminated water quickly spreads salmonella and E. coli. Farmers should flush water lines regularly and clean drinkers daily. Feed quality also matters—moldy, dusty, or spoiled feed introduces toxins.
Feed should be stored in clean, dry areas and sourced from trusted suppliers. Natural additives like probiotics or organic acids can also help.
Hygiene and biosecurity are equally important. Cleaning poultry houses, removing wet litter, and limiting visitors reduces exposure to pathogens. Separating age groups helps, too, as younger birds are more vulnerable.
Providing enough space, good airflow, and consistent feeding routines also support gut health. Overcrowding, poor ventilation, and sudden feed changes stress birds and weaken their guts.
Investing in gut health is not just about poultry—it is about the farmer’s peace of mind. Less disease means less worry, while better feed conversion means consistent profits.
“We have what we need, we just need to know when and how to use what to get the best results for our poultry.” Said Dr. Emily Muema, CEO of Kenya’s Veterinary Medicine Directorate.