Chicks subjected to early stressful factors could develop long-lasting effects on their performances, welfare and health. Free access to essential oils (EO) in poultry farming could mitigate these effects and potentially reduce use of antimicrobial drugs. This study on chicken analyzed long-lasting effects of post-hatch adverse conditions (Delayed group), and the impact of EO intake on blood physiological parameters and transcriptome. Half of the Control and Delayed groups had free access to EO, while the other half had only water for the first 13 days post-hatching. Blood analyses of metabolites, inflammation and oxidative stress biomarkers, and mRNA expression showed sex differences. Long-lasting effects of postnatal experience and EO intake persisted in blood transcriptome at D34. The early adverse conditions modified 68 genes in males and 83 genes in females. In Delayed males six transcription factors were over-represented (NFE2L2, MEF2A, FOXI1, Foxd3, Sox2 and TEAD1). In females only one factor was over-represented (PLAG1) and four under-represented (NFIL3, Foxd3, ESR2 and TAL1::TCF3). The genes showing modified expression are involved in oxidative stress, growth, bone metabolism and reproduction. Remarkably, spontaneous EO intake restored the expression levels of some genes affected by the postnatal adverse conditions suggesting a mitigating effect of EO intake.

受到早期压力因素影响的小鸡可能对其性能，福利和健康产生长期影响。家禽养殖场免费获取精油（EO）可以减轻这些影响，并可能减少抗菌药物的使用。这项关于鸡的研究分析了孵化后不良状况（延迟组）的长期影响，以及EO摄入对血液生理参数和转录组的影响。对照组和延迟组中有一半可以自由使用EO，而另一半在孵化后的前13天只有水。对代谢物，炎症和氧化应激生物标志物以及mRNA表达的血液分析显示出性别差异。出生后的经验和EO摄入的持久影响在D34的血液转录组中持续存在。早期不良条件修饰了男性的68个基因和女性的83个基因。在延迟男性中，六个转录因子被过度表达（NFE2L2，MEF2A，FOXI1，Foxd3，Sox2和TEAD1）。在女性中，只有一个因素代表过多（PLAG1），四个代表不足（NFIL3，Foxd3，ESR2和TAL1 :: TCF3）。表现出修饰表达的基因参与氧化应激，生长，骨骼代谢和繁殖。值得注意的是，自发摄入EO可恢复某些受出生后不良条件影响的基因的表达水平，这表明EO摄入的缓解作用。表现出修饰表达的基因参与氧化应激，生长，骨骼代谢和繁殖。值得注意的是，自发摄入EO可恢复某些受出生后不良条件影响的基因的表达水平，这表明EO摄入的缓解作用。表现出修饰表达的基因参与氧化应激，生长，骨骼代谢和繁殖。值得注意的是，自发摄入EO可恢复某些受出生后不良条件影响的基因的表达水平，这表明EO摄入的缓解作用。