FEEDING FOB EGO PRODUCTION 217 



purpose class than was included in the Texas Contest where 

 the majority of the birds were Leghorns. 



Further, it is brought out as the result of the feeding 

 work at the Government Poultry Farm that the value of 

 eggs or seUing price for the year was greatest in November, 

 while the feed cost to produce a dozen of eggs was greatest 

 in December, owing to the low production at that time. 

 Eggs are produced at the lowest cost during the period of 

 greatest production, which is in the spring, and at the 

 highest cost in the season of lowest production, which is the 

 fall and early winter. This high cost of egg production in 

 the fall and winter increases materially as the fowls become 

 older. 



ARTIFICIAL LIGHTS 



Within the past several years the practice known as 

 artificial Kghting of poultry houses has come into use. The 

 object of this system is to obtain a greater egg production 

 during the fall and winter months when eggs are high in 

 price, the sole idea being to produce by means of artificial 

 Hghts a longer working day for the hen. In the fall and winter 

 the period of daylight is comparatively short as contrasted 

 with the spring and summer days. Consequently by the 

 use of lights the short days are made longer, thereby per- 

 mitting the hens to eat more feed with which to produce 

 more eggs. This practice is ordinarily carried on with the 

 layers rather than with birds that are intended for breeders. 



Some poultr}Tiien who have tried artificial lights, how- 

 ever, on their breeding stock, do not report any detrimental 

 results. Another advantage of artificial fighting is that by 

 providing a longer working day, late-hatched and slow- 

 developing pullets are given an opportunity to mature more 

 rapidly, and thereby come into egg production sooner than 

 when artificial hghts are not provided. Again, when lights 



