Folic acid is the synthetic form of vitamin B9 which is crucial for proper brain function and plays an important role in mental and emotional health. It aids in the production of DNA and RNA, the body's genetic material, and is especially important when cells and tissues are growing rapidly.
Folic acid requirements for chickens depend on the form of feed, age of the bird, growth rate, and level of production. Generally, the chicken's folic acid requirements decreases with age because diminished growth rate reduces the need for DNA synthesis. Folic acid deficiency in chicks is characterized by poor feathering, anemic appearance (waxy white comb and pale mucous membranes in the mouth), lethargy, reduced feed intake, slow growth, and abnormal skeletal development leading to perosis. Folic acid deficiency in adult chickens often results in decreased egg production, poor feathering, and reduced hatch rates for offspring.