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A chronological account of the prospect and problems of utilization of urea in poultry diets is presented. Urea has long been considered as toxic to poultry but recent research, although limited, has yielded controversial results. The main problem appears to be due to the fact that whether or not response to urea is dependent on environment (germ free versus conventional). Although caecum is found to be the major site of ammonia production from urea, the so called nutritional benefit derived by chicken fed urea is probably limited to its utilization for the synthesis of nonessential amino acids in the protein depleted chicken, but not in the protein adequate chicken. More research is needed to monitor production characteristics of birds fed urea and investigate its toxic effect, if any, in some greater detail before recommending this nonprotein nitrogenous substance for inclusion in the poultry diets.