Mar. 4, i9i8 IVinier Egg Production of Rhode Island Reds 565 



that have no pauses exceeding 10 days in length, and the second of those 

 that have pauses of more than 10 days. In the former group the egg 

 production remains at essentially the same point in all three months. 

 In the second group, however, the January and February production is 

 markedly lower than that of December. The production for January 

 may or may not exceed that of February.^ 



DIFFERENCES IN MONTHLY EGG PRODUCTION DURING DECEMBER, JANUARY, AND FEB- 

 RUARY FOR RHODE ISLAND REDS, BARRED PLYMOUTH ROCKS, AND WHITE WYAN- 

 DOTTES 



In Table X we have examined the differences in the monthly egg 

 production for the same set of birds shown in Tables VII and VIII. For 

 the Barred Plymouth Rocks and White Wyandottes it is noticeable that 

 for each year but one the number of birds laying more eggs in January 

 than February is greater than the number laying more eggs in February 

 than January (in the exception the number is equal) and that in five out 

 of six instances the average number of eggs laid by the birds having an 

 excess January production is greater than for those having an excess 

 production in February. The percentage of birds having an excess 

 January production is 75.29 for Barred Plymouth Rocks and 68.23 ^or 

 the White Wyandottes. 



The data for the Rhode Island Reds are quite different in character. 

 Only 51 .39 per cent of the March-hatched pullets lay more eggs in January 

 than February, while for April and May hatched pullets the value is 47.16 

 per cent, although in two years out of three the number of birds with a Janu- 

 ary excess is greater than for February. In only one instance, and that 

 with a small number of birds involved, is the number much more than 

 twice the number having an excess February production. This is to be 

 compared with the Maine records, where in every instance the number of 

 birds with a January excess is greater than those with a February excess 

 and, except in two instances, are two to three times as numerous (in 

 one case 1 6 times). For the Rhode Island Reds hatched in April and May 

 the average number of excess eggs in two years out of three is greater for 

 those pullets with an excess February production. For the March- 

 hatched pullets conditions are reversed. 



' It is possible that the two groups, high producers and mediocre producers, should be separated in an 

 analysis of this sort. So few of the latter were available, however, that it seemed unwise to attempt the 

 separation. 



