Arizona Agricultural Experiment Station 



291 



Since there was a greater range in the birds of the same breed than 

 between the average of the cUfferent breeds, no definite conclusion is 

 justified with regard to the breed of the birds as affecting the number 

 of eggs that they lay. 



Az'cragc zveiglit of eggs laid: There is remarkable similarity be- 

 tween the general appearance and weight of eggs laid by the same 

 hen over the two years. The ranking of the birds was very similar to 

 that of the previous year. Three of the birds laid eggs with a lighter 

 average weight while six of them gave eggs that averaged from 27.15 

 grams to 112 grams heavier than that of 1915. Table XVIII indicates 

 the increase or decrease in the average weight of eggs laid by the 

 different hens in 1916 as compared with 1915. 



TABLE XVIII. COMPARISON OF THE AVERAGE WEIGHT OE EGGS LAID BY 



EACH HEN FOR TWO YEARS 



The above table indicates that there were slight variations between 

 the average weight of eggs laid by the different hens over the two 

 years, but there is a remarkable similarity between the two years. The 

 average of the entire flock was 42.52 grams heavier in 1916 than in 

 1915. This is a very small increase for it is less than two ounces dif- 

 ference between eggs that weigh approximately 3^2 pounds. In othn* 

 words the average weight of all the eggs laid in 1916 was 2.8 percent 

 heavier than that of the previous year. As some of these birds were 

 immature, it is thought that the increase in the average size of the egg 

 was due to natural development rather than to the feed they consumed. 



Again, hen No. 1410 laid the smallest average weight of eggs and 

 No. 2292, the heaviest. The same relative position was occupied also 

 by the hens that laid the second, third, and fourth heaviest average 

 weight of eggs each year. Hen No No. laid eggs that were large 

 the early part of 1915, but she received an injury about the middle of 



