An experiment was conducted using 120 hens of Mamourah local strain of 36
weeks of age. The basal diet was formulated to meet the nutrient requirements of this
local strain. Diets with 4 dietary copper concentrations 0, 500, 750 and 1000 mg/kg
diet from 2 different sources, copper sulphate (CUS04. 5 H20) and copper chloride
(CuCI2. 2 H20) were formulated and randomly distributed in such a way that each diet
was fed to 15 cages of birds. The feeding trial continued for 56 days. Results showed
that body weight of hens increased by feeding copper supplemented diet in the first 4
weeks of the experimental period. Copper chloride as a source of copper recorded
significant (P<0.05) increase in egg number (about 10.3%) as compared to the copper
sulphate during 8 weeks of feeding. Addition of 1000 mg/kg diet reduced the egg
number as compared to the other levels in the same period. Feeding levels of copper
as two sources for 4 or 8 weeks was without influence on egg weight. Feed
consumption tended to be increased by copper supplements in the first 4 weeks of
feeding but decreased at 8 weeks of feeding. Addition of 1000mg/kg diet from the two
sources of copper recorded numerical decrease in Haugh Units (HU) during two
periods. Copper yolk recorded high values as compared to the other components
(white and shell) of egg during the two periods of feeding. Excreta Cu was increased
by dietary supplements. Egg quality was not affected by dietary supplements during
the two experimental periods except that for shell thickness was significantly (P<0.05)
increased. Histological examination of the gizzard indicated that the two highest levels
of copper chloride (750 and 1000 mg/kg diet) exhibited considerable thickness and
damage to the gizzard lining. The variation in tested prameters values could be
attributed to differences in strain or seasonal conditions.