Table 4.

Effect of fennel, black cumin and red pepper supplementation on the laying performance during the experimental period.

Parameters	Treatments1				SEM	P-value
	CON	T1	T2	T3
Egg number, /hen
Week 32–36	11.28b	12.29a	11.99b	12.18a	0.146	0.001
Week 36–40	11.31b	12.45a	11.71ab	12.10a	0.233	0.006
Week 32–40	11.25c	12.52a	11.80b	12.09ab	0.165	<0.001
Egg production, %
Week 32–36	80.55b	87.78a	85.26a	86.98a	1.044	0.001
Week 36–40	80.17c	91.15a	83.32bc	85.77b	1.521	0.001
Week 32–40	80.36c	89.46a	84.29b	86.38ab	1.175	0.001
Egg weight, g
Week 32–36	50.96	51.65	50.53	51.51	0.395	0.07
Week 36–40	53.52c	56.46a	54.19b	54.46b	0.151	<0.001
Week 32–40	52.24b	54.05a	52.36b	52.99b	0.201	<0.001
Egg mass, g/(hen·d)
Week 32–36	40.51c	44.09a	41.97b	43.85a	0.239	<0.001
Week 36–40	40.51d	50.47a	44.10c	45.95b	0.480	<0.001
Week 32–40	40.51d	47.28a	43.03c	44.90b	0.285	<0.001
Feed conversion ratio
Week 32–36	2.85a	2.54b	2.62ab	2.58ab	0.090	0.04
Week 36–40	3.19a	2.44c	2.86b	2.74b	0.067	<0.001
Week 32–40	3.05a	2.47c	2.76b	2.64bc	0.072	<0.001

SEM = standard error of the mean.

^a–c Within a row, means with different letters are significantly different at P < 0.05.

¹ CON: control, the basal diet; T1: the basal diet + 0.5% fennel seeds; the basal diet + T2: 0.5% black cumin seeds; T3: the basal diet + 0.5% hot red pepper.