*2.4. Statistical Analysis*

Each hen served as the experimental unit for all performance data. All performance data were evaluated for significance by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) at a significance level of *p* < 0.05 using SAS statistical software (version 9.4). If ANOVA results were significant (*p* < 0.05), Tukey's multiple comparisons t-test was conducted to compare the mean of each treatment group with the mean of every other treatment at *p* < 0.05 significance level. Comparisons were made between body weights (50 birds/treatment), feed intake (50 birds/treatment), feed conversion ratio (50 birds/treatment), and egg weights (total # of eggs collected over the 8-week feeding trial).

Fifteen eggs per treatment (3 eggs per replicate randomly selected) were statistically analyzed by one-way ANOVA (*p* < 0.05) using SAS. Means were separated by least-squares means with Tukey–Kramer adjustment for multiple comparisons (*p* < 0.05) for treatment differences in egg quality parameters (Haugh unit, vitelline membrane strength, shell strength, yolk color score), egg β-carotene content, and egg lipid content (crude fat, total cholesterol, fatty acid content) with 60 total egg samples at each time point (0 week, 2 week, 4 week, 6 week, 8 week). Means were separated by least-squares means with Tukey–Kramer adjustment for multiple comparisons (*p* < 0.05) for treatment differences.
