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Show FOOLS FARM HENS INTO LAYING MORE Egg Production Increased by Artificial Lights. By R. E. Gray, Poultry Specialist, Agricultural Agricul-tural Extension Service. Ohio State University. WNU Service. Fooling the farm flock into working work-ing overtime by the use of artificial lights is a sound, profitable practice. Experiments with the use of artificial arti-ficial lights indicate that they do not materially Increase the total yearly production, but have a tendency to produce pro-duce a more even production throughout through-out the year. The winter egg production produc-tion is Increased at the expense of spring production. The principal value val-ue of this change In the distribution of production Is that It Induces an Increased In-creased egg yield during the winter months when eggs are high in price, n this way the use of artificial lights will result in a greater labor Income for the year, even though there is no rise in annual production. Lights help the poultryman in several sev-eral ways. With early hatched pullets the use of artificial lights aids In maintaining main-taining pullets in production throughout through-out the winter without loss of weight and the subsequent molt. Today, It is not an uncommon thing to find a flock of January hatched pullets going Into production about July 1 and continuing with an egg yield at about 50 per cent or better during fall and winter. In brief, the use of artificial lights Increases winter egg production, boosts the labor income, stimulates production produc-tion during periods of high prices, is not detrimental to the health of the flock, and does not reduce the hatch-ability hatch-ability of eggs produced by the flock. |