Effect of Additional Light During Growing Period on Egg Production of October Hatched White Leghorn Pullets

Abstract

TOMHAVE (1954) compared the performance of October hatched New Hampshire pullets subjected to normal daylight with that of others receiving supplemental artificial light to simulate day-length of pullets hatched in March. The length of supplemental light varied from a low of one hour in October to a high of five hours in December. After 23 weeks of age all birds were placed under 14 hours of light daily. Body weight was slightly greater, age at sexual maturity was somewhat retarded (7–14 days), and egg size was greater in pullets reared under supplemental light. Little difference was observed in mortality or egg production over a laying period of 164 days.The report of Wilson et al. (1956), which summarized the results in several studies, shows that age at sexual maturity and egg production are affected adversely by continuous light during the growing period.Because fall-hatched White Leghorns make up a …