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ARTIFICIAL ILLUiMINATION 



to evening lights or to a combination of morning and evening lights. 

 The best time for starting the lights is at 4 o'clock in the morning, 

 running them until dawn, or to start them at such a time that dur- 

 ing a normal day of 24 hours, 14 hours of light and 10 hours of 

 darkness may be given the birds. Feeding is one of the vital 

 problems in the successful management of birds under lights. 

 They should be fed grain, if possible, four times a day. This keeps 

 them active and exercising. The exact time will depend upon the 

 time the lights are used. If morning lights are used, grain at 

 4 A.M., 8 A.M., 1 P.M. and just before dusk seems to be the most 

 desirable time, the heaviest feedings being given at 4 a.m. and 



Fig. 235. — A farm unit electric lighting plant iu8t suited to light the home and the poultry 

 houses. (Photo Delco Lighting Corporation.) 



dusk. Birds under lights must be fed more heavily of grain than 

 birds not under lights. Without this precaution a rapid reduction 

 in body weight of the birds will follow, due to the heavy produc- 

 tion which they are making. Such rapid loss of weight will put 

 the birds in a condition to go to pieces more easily in the spring. 

 During the winter months, fourteen pounds of grain per day to 

 each 100 hens under lights seems to be the correct amount. Be 

 sure that dry mash is left before them constantly. 



Kind of Lights to Use. — Electric lights are far superior in 

 efficiency, in labor cost, and in cost of operation to any other method 

 of operating illumination. Two 40-watt lights in a standard 

 multiple-unit section, 20 x 20, poultry house seems to be a suf- 

 ficient amount of light and gives the best distribution. Two lights 

 are far superior to one, as the pen is more evenly illuminated and 



