The study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of lutein supplementation ways between pre-hatch (from the diet of hens) and post-hatch (from the diet of progeny) on antioxidant capacity of chicks. One hundred and twenty Hailan breeder hens were divided into 2 groups, one is control group, and the other is test group supplemented with marigold extracts. After 21 days, eggs were collected and placed in an incubator. After hatching, neonatal chicks from each group were also divided into 2 groups, one group of chicks was fed control diet, and the other was fed diet supplemented with marigold extracts (the supplementation amount was the same as that of hens’ diet). At 21 days of age, the chicks were killed, and their livers were collected for antioxidative capability analysis. Results indicated that the pre-hatch supplementation could significantly increase the concentrations of carotenoids in livers; the marigold extracts supplementation could significantly enhance the activities of antioxidase and decrease the contents of malonaldehyde (MDA) in livers of chicks. Lutein in maternal diet is the main determinant of the carotenoid status in offspring for at least 7 days after hatching.［Chinese Journal of Animal Nutrition, 2010，22（3）:689-695］