The intestinal microbiota plays a fundamental role in its host. Microbiota studies contribute to understand the different physiological mechanisms in the host. Then, following the ban on antibiotics as growth factors in animal feed, the use of probiotics has increased to improve zootechnical performances. Moreover, since 1999, studies have been requested to the European countries producing “foie gras” to develop alternative methods to overfeeding. The work of this phD was organized according to these two objectives. The effect of probiotic supplementation in ducks during breeding and overfeeding periods was studied. If no impact of probiotics on metabolism has been demonstrated, the expression of markers of inflammation decreased during overfeeding. Moreover, we confirmed the importance of the Lactobacillus genus during overfeeding period, bacterial group with strong amylolytic activities. In a second step, the composition of the intestinal microbiota of the graylag goose after overfeeding period or following a spontaneous hepatic steatosis was studied and compared. Finally, a study on the initiation of hepatic steatosis in graylag geese fed with complete pellets was performed. These two geese studies allowed us to observe the similarities in the major phyla of the intestinal microbiota. Major phylum are still Firmicutes and Proteobacteria although differences were observed at lower taxonomic levels. All of these studies confirmed the correlation between intestinal microbiota diversity and the ability to trigger hepatic steatosis, whether with overfeeding or spontaneous.