A REVOLUTION IN EGG PRODUCTION 75 



On ten days at seven a. m. the temperature registered 

 less than five degrees above zero. 



The reader can imagine that we felt elated at the result 

 of our experiment, and the solving of the problem of winter 

 egg production. 



Given proper care, a balanced ration, liberal and regular 

 supply of feed, and we had added only one factor of summer 

 conditions, and that a factor heretofore not considered — we 

 had merely lengthened the hens' business day to enable them 

 to eat sufficient food to repair bodily waste, supply heat and 

 energy, and leave a surplus for the production of eggs; and 

 presto ! we gathered one thousand nine hundred forty-three 

 eggs in a February of extremely low temperature, as compared 

 with one thousand ninety-five eggs for the previous February 

 when the thermometer only touched zero twice, and that only 

 for a short time. While we had some cold nights in the 

 February of 1913, it warmed up in the day time as compared 

 with February, 1914. 



The birds continued to produce well, as will be seen by 

 the production records on Page 83 ; and a comparison will 

 prove interesting with the production record on Page 64 

 for 1913. 



In due course arrived the moulting season. Few poultry - 

 men expect many eggs at this season, and farm kept poultry 

 seldom, if ever, produce at this season. Many poultrymen, 

 and some poultry papers, maintain that hens cannot moult 

 and lay at the same time. 



It will be noticed in the production records on Page 84 

 that production steadily decreased ; and, in discussing this 

 problem with a friend, the author made the following state- 

 ment of his position : "The birds had been doing well all 

 summer, and were now moulting heavily, and were under- 

 going the greatest strain on their vitality ; that the days were 

 also shorter considerably than they had been — hence the hens 

 had less opportunity to repair waste and energy and grow 

 feathers ; that he believed turning on the light, and lengthen- 

 ing the day at this time, would help the hens recuperate and 

 get through the moult quicker. Also, that if they did this, 

 they would probably produce during the coming winter as 

 well as the pullets, under the improved conditions of the 

 longer business day." 



