Show P DOUBTFUL ABOUT HEN BA BATTERIES Warns Plan May MayBe MayBe Be Too Expensive ore are warned to avoid Investing much money In hen bat batteries cries teries until more facts are known about the system according to J JH IL fL Bruckner of the New York State College of or Agriculture Agriculture- He cites the survey conducted by the California experiment station In which the men concluded that the evidence Is not to Justify recommending this meth meth- method method method od to California One of the advantages es claimed for Cor hen batteries Is that tint the same amount of space can nn accommodate double the number of layers Mr Ir Bruckner points out that the build build- buildIng buildIng Ing used for a hen battery must be bea bea bea a better building titan than the usual lay laying In log ing house houe It must have a higher ceiling and must be insulated to save sa heating costs Ventilation Is Isa Isa laa a problem for the house Is kept at about 50 fO or CO GO de degrees rees lIens lens are arc affected by heat heat and forced ventilation Is usually necessary necessary necessary I sary Add the extra costs of Insulation Insulation I I lation heating equipment and fuel ventilation and the costs of the I hen batteries and the man I may find It cheaper to double his capacity by building two of or the usual t type le houses Experimental work shows no ap- ap ap appreciable gain In egg gg production I In labor saving or In reducing mortality mor mor- mortality mortality A slight reduction is noted In the amount of feed used but Mr Ir Bruckner says this may be due to the heated house It U appears that rations apparently satisfactory for typical conditions are not satisfactory satisfactory satisfactory tory for hens In batteries Just ns as chick batteries have not displaced range range open rearing but have hll proved useful under certain conditions he predicts that hen ben batteries may prove useful for some poultry plants hut but will be of or no Importance to the vast ast majority of or |