Effect of iodine-treated water on the performance of broiler chickens reared under various stocking densities.

A total of 544 day-old sexed broiler chicks were used to investigate the effects of 2 ppm iodine-treated water on body weight and feed efficiency when the chicks were reared at 900, 720, 540, and 360-cm2 stocking densities. Chicks were fed a corn-soybean meal diet calculated to contain 3,212 kcal ME/kg and 21.58% CP. Iodine added to the drinking water at the rate of 2 ppm improved growth significantly after 4 wk of age. Feed efficiency was not significantly affected by the addition of iodine to the drinking water. Maximum effects on growth were obtained when the broilers were housed at stocking densities of 720 and 540 cm2/bird. A stocking density of 360 cm2 appeared to provide a crowding stress severe enough to negate the beneficial effects of adding iodine to the drinking water.