A total of 378 day-old chicks were utilized in 14 treatment groups to determine the effect of deionizing and of drying molasses on reducing its laxative properties. Removal of either the anions or cations, or both the anions and cations did not significantly reduce fecal moisture compared to the untreated molasses control. The addition of mineral mixtures to replace the extracted ions increased fecal moisture in comparison to the untreated molasses control. However, when these salts were added to a basal diet without molasses the fecal moisture was comparable to the 30% untreated molasses control. Drying the molasses either by heating (111°C.) or by lyophilization also had no effect on reducing the laxative effect of the molasses. The data were interpreted to indicate that there is a substance(s) present in molasses other than the minerals which is responsible for its laxative effect.