POULTRY NOTES — 1909. 



71 



two years while this method of feeding has been used, there has 

 been hardly a pullet in winter moult, whereas on the old system 

 of feeding such birds were common every year. 



The character of the egg production under this method of 

 feeding is well shown in Table i and graphically in Figure 72. 



Table i. 



Egg Production of joo Barred Plyinouth Rock Pullcfs. Fall 

 and Winter of ipop. 



Month. 







■ 





m2 



s,-^ 



03 



^t. 



3al 



03 50 





iriav 



■< ft 



139 



.46 



725 



2.42 



984 



3.28 



2,926 



9.7.5 



September . . 



October 



November . . 



December. . . 



Totals. 



4,774 



15.91 



This table shows the total number of eggs and the average 

 numljer of eggs per bird laid by 300 Barred Plymouth Rock 

 pullets put into the laying house on September 1-3, 1909. These 

 birds were intended for trap nest tests in connection with experi- 

 ments in breeding for egg production. They were all pedigreed 

 birds. It will be seen from the figures of the table that the 

 average production made no sudden spurt in the early fall but 

 came up gradually until in December when it rose quite rapidly 

 at just the time of year when a high egg production is most 

 desired. The November average of 3.28 eggs is slightly below 

 the general average November production for the Maine Station 

 birds over a period of 8 years.* The November average for the 

 8-year period was 4.63 eggs. It thus appears that the birds in 

 1909 laid about one egg less in November than the general aver- 

 age of the flocks over the long period. This defect in Novem- 

 ber, however, is offset by the favorable difference for Decem- 

 ber. The December average for the 300 birds this vear. as 



*Cf. Bureau of Animal Industry Bulletin no. Part II. (In press). 



