Inulin for Chickens: Poultry Research

Inulin for chickens is a natural prebiotic derived from Jerusalem artichoke that supports gut health, immune function, growth performance, and nutrient absorption. 

Report based on the listed studies regarding inulin supplementation in poultry, particularly broiler chickens and chicks.

Inulin, a natural prebiotic fiber found in plants like chicory and Jerusalem artichoke, has been extensively studied for its effects on gut microbiota, immune function, and growth performance in poultry.
Recent research has explored inulin both as a standalone supplement and in combination with interventions like fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT).

Key Findings

1. Inulin for Chickens and Growth Performance

• Chen et al. (2025) and Song et al. (2024) demonstrated that maternal FMT combined with inulin positively influenced early growth and immune development in chicks, suggesting a strong role in shaping the initial gut microbiota.

• Multiple studies (Wu et al., 2019; Kareem et al., 2016; Swiatkiewicz et al., 2011) reported improvements in body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and nutrient utilization with inulin supplementation.

2. Inulin for Chickens: Gut Microbiota and Digestion

• Xia et al. (2019, 2021) and Peinado et al. (2013) found that dietary inulin significantly modulates the composition and activity of cecal microbiota, promoting beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus.

• Liu et al. (2018) showed that inulin reduced skatole production, a compound associated with poor gut health, by modulating microbial fermentation.

3. Inulin for Chickens and Immune Function

• Inulin contributed to enhanced intestinal immune responses, particularly when combined with FMT (Song et al., 2024), and modulated genes involved in growth (e.g., IGF1, GHR in Kareem et al., 2016).

• Wang et al. (2024) showed inulin protects against Ochratoxin A-induced kidney damage, likely through its effect on restoring healthy intestinal microbiota.

4. Bone Health and Mineral Utilization

• According to Swiatkiewicz et al. (2011), inulin improved calcium and phosphorus utilization, positively affecting bone development in broilers.

5. Review Evidence

• Bucław (2016) summarized that inulin consistently shows positive impacts on gut health, performance, and immune response, although effects can vary depending on dosage, chicken age, and diet composition.

Conclusion

Inulin supplementation in poultry diets, particularly in broilers and chicks, offers a promising strategy to enhance gut microbiota balance, immune function, growth performance, and nutrient absorption.

Its synergistic use with FMT or probiotics can further amplify these effects.

These findings support the continued integration of inulin as a functional feed additive in poultry production.

References

• Chen M, Pan J, Song Y, Liu S, Sun P, Zheng X. Effect of inulin supplementation in maternal fecal microbiota transplantation on the early growth of chicks. Microbiome. 2025 Apr 15. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40235010/

• Xia Y, Kong J, Zhang G, Zhang X, Seviour R, Kong Y. Effects of dietary inulin supplementation on the composition and dynamics of cecal microbiota and growth-related parameters in broiler chickens. Poult Sci. 2019 Dec 1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31424516/

• Wang J, Jiang M, Li X, Ye Y, Xie Y, Wu T, Chen Y, Yu H, Wu H, Yang Z, Zhou E. Inulin Supplementation Alleviates Ochratoxin A-Induced Kidney Injury through Modulating Intestinal Microbiota. J Agric Food Chem. 2024 Aug 21. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39135376/

• Wu XZ, Wen ZG, Hua JL. Effects of dietary inclusion of Lactobacillus and inulin on growth performance, gut microbiota, nutrient utilization, and immune parameters in broilers. Poult Sci. 2019 Oct 1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31001631/

• Peinado MJ, Echávarri A, Ruiz R, Suárez-Pereira E, Ortiz Mellet C, García Fernández JM, Rubio LA. Effects of inulin and di-D-fructose dianhydride-enriched caramels on intestinal microbiota composition and performance of broiler chickens. Animal. 2013 Nov. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24016483/

• Liu HY, Hou R, Yang GQ, Zhao F, Dong WG. In vitro effects of inulin and soya bean oligosaccharide on skatole production and the intestinal microbiota in broilers. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl). 2018 Jun. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29105163/

• Xia Y, Miao J, Zhang Y, Zhang H, Kong L, Seviour R, Kong Y. Dietary inulin supplementation modulates the composition and activities of carbohydrate-metabolizing organisms in the cecal microbiota of broiler chickens. PLoS One. 2021 Oct 21. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34673798/

• Kareem KY, Loh TC, Foo HL, Akit H, Samsudin AA. Effects of dietary postbiotic and inulin on growth performance, IGF1 and GHR mRNA expression, faecal microbiota and volatile fatty acids in broilers. BMC Vet Res. 2016 Aug 5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27496016/

• Bucław M. The use of inulin in poultry feeding: a review. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl). 2016 Dec. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27079815/

• Song Y, Cui Y, Wang Y, Wang T, Zhong Y, Liu J, Zheng X. The effect and potential mechanism of inulin combined with fecal microbiota transplantation on early intestinal immune function in chicks. Sci Rep. 2024 Jul 23. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39043769/

• Swiatkiewicz S, Koreleski J, Arczewska-Włoek A. Effect of inulin and oligofructose on performance and bone characteristics of broiler chickens fed on diets with different concentrations of calcium and phosphorus. Br Poult Sci. 2011 Aug. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21919576/