18/07/2025
🐝🥚 Can honey sweeten the reproductive performance of hens?
A fascinating new study—just accepted in Slovenian Veterinary Research—explored whether adding honey to drinking water could boost the reproductive health of naked neck hens, a hardy chicken breed often used in tropical climates.
Researchers gave hens either no honey (control), 5 g/L (Group A), or 10 g/L (Group B) of honey in their drinking water over a 35-day period.
Here’s what they discovered:
🍯 Hens receiving 10 g/L honey laid more eggs, had better fertility and hatchability, and produced larger, heavier, and better-shaped eggs—especially by the third week of treatment.
🥚 While not all parameters showed a significant difference early on, the results suggest that honey supplementation may help support aging hens in maintaining reproductive performance.
This study is a beautiful reminder of how natural products like honey—rich in bioactive compounds—can influence animal health in subtle but meaningful ways.
📖 Full paper: slovetres.si/index.php/SVR/article/view/1793/749
Would you try honey water for your flock?