May, 1939] Protein Requirements of Chickens 9 



meal as the only animal protein source consumed the greatest total 

 amount of feed, 263.27 pounds. The meat scrap groups had the lowest 

 feed consumption with a total of 222.93 pounds. 



In Table VII is presented the relationship between average feed con- 

 sumed per bird and the production of eggs. Feed consumption figures 

 are calculated from the start of the 24th week. Comparing the efficiency 

 of the various groups on the basis of number of pounds of feed consumed 

 to produce one dozen of eggs, we find a distinct relationship between 

 production and type of animal protein supplement. The fish meal 

 groups show most efficient consumption of feed with a range of 6.51 to 

 8.41 pounds of feed to produce one dozen eggs. The groups receiving 

 dried skimmilk as the animal protein supplement were least efficient '^dth 

 a range of 24.52 to 39.50 pounds of feed required to produce a dozen eggs. 



Mortality during the production period amounted to 34.4 per cent. 

 Of this amount 32.5 per cent was due to ruptured egg yolk, 20 per cent 

 to indigestion, and 17.5 per cent to cage injury causing a paralysis of 

 legs. The remainder was spread between ovarian tumor, pneumonia, 

 ruptured liver, favus, and uremia. In explanation of the paralysis of 

 legs, it should be stated that birds would occasionally get their legs 

 through the wire cage floor. Many times they were held there until 

 released by the attendant. The struggle to free themselves probably 

 resulted in a rupture of the nerve controlling leg action and caused 

 paralysis. 



Many investigators believe the cause of ruptured egg yolk to be exces- 

 sive handling or mechanical injury. If this is true, the explanation of 

 the large mortality from this cause is apparent since all birds on the test 

 were individually handled each week for weight records. It is interesting 

 to note that the lowest total mortality was experienced in the milk 

 groups, whereas the groups receiving the meat scraps as animal protein 

 supplement had the greatest total mortality. 



The egg production summary as shown in Table VII indicates a con- 

 siderable variation among groups according to type of animal protein 

 supplement consumed. As noted under the column headed "average 

 production per bird," the groups receiving the fish meal protein supple- 

 ment averaged a greater laying rate than the other groups. The 15 per 



Table IV-a. Summary of feed consumption records in pounds per chick 

 for meat scrap and fish meal groups 



