Abstract: In order to explore the effects of curcumin on egg laying performance, follicular development and antioxidant function in Roman laying hens, a total of 144 26-week-old healthy female Roman laying hens with similar performance were randomly divided into four groups: control group（NC）, NT1 group, NT2 group and NT3 group. Each group had 6 replicates and each replicate had 6 hens. The animals in the control group（NC） were fed a basal diet without curcumin; the animals in the NT1 group, NT2 group and NT3 group were fed the basal diet supplemented with curcumin containing 50 mg/kg, 150 mg/kg and 250 mg/kg. The pre-trial period lasted for 7 days and the experimental period lasted for 63 days. The egg laying performance indicators of each group were counted every day during the current test. After the end of the test, the number of follicles at all levels was measured; the serum reproductive hormone level and the antioxidant index（superoxide dismutase SOD, catalase CAT, GSH peroxidase GSH-Px and malondialdehyde MDA） were determined by ELISA, and the relative mRNA expression levels of ovarian FSH receptor（FSHR）, LH receptor（LHR）, E₂ receptor（ER） and P₄ receptor（PR） were measured by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. The results showed that the laying rate and the number of small white follicles（SWF） in the NT2 group were significantly higher than those in the NC group and NT1 group（P＜0.05）. The levels of FSH, LH, E₂ and P₄ in the NT2 and NT3 groups were significantly higher than those of the NC group and NT1 group（P＜0.05）, and there was no significant difference in the levels of FSH, LH and P₄ between the NT2 and NT3 groups（P＞0.05）. The increase of FSH and LH levels in the NT2 group was better, and the increase of E₂ and P₄ levels in the NT3 group was better. The relative mRNA levels of ovarian FSHR, LHR, ER and PR was significantly increased in the NT2 group compared with the NC group（P＜0.05）. The activities of SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px in the NT2 and NT3 groups were significantly higher than those in NC and NT1 groups（P＜0.05）, and the MDA concentration was significantly lower than that in the NC and NT1 groups（P＜0.05）. The results indicated that supplementation of curcumin in diet could improve the antioxidant function and the relative mRNA expression of ovarian reproductive hormone receptor, the serum reproductive hormone levels and the number of SWF in Roman laying hens, and thus increase the egg laying rate. Under the current test conditions, 150 mg/kg was the optimal addition amount of curcumin considering economic factors.