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Show INCREASING PRODUCTION IN BARN YARD Imposing upon the trusting credulity credu-lity of the poor barnyard hen, the Poultry Department of the Utah Agricultural Ag-ricultural College has Inaugurated a series of experiments In egg production produc-tion aimed to see how far egg production pro-duction can bo Increased during the winter months by artificial lighting. The plan of the experiment is as follows: fol-lows: Tour chicken houses, two of tho shed loot type and two of tho senil- moiiltor style were selected and one of each typo wired for electric lights. Using the two unwlred houses a check houses, pullets, and one, two, three, four, and five year hens wore placed In each coop. Tho following sot of instructions issued by Professor Profess-or Alder, who outlined the experiment, experi-ment, to those Immediately In charge shows how tho work Is conducted. Turn lights on at G:30 a. m. and scatter a littlo grain on the straw to coax the hens off tho perches. 8:00 a. in. turn lights off, test, and then water. 10 a. in. Feed alfalfa leaves that have soaked over night In warm water. wa-ter. Give all they will cat. 1:30 p. m. Feed sprouted oats. 3 p. in. Feed grain In Utter all tin hens will er' t the evening with a little left o' r for morning. 4:30 p. m. ileplcnlsh alfalfa supply sup-ply and turn on the lights. 8 p. in. Turn lights off, gradually dimming light until all hens are' on the perch before turning them entirely en-tirely off. Keep the hoppers full of dry mash all the time. Be careful about waste. Keep a careful record of the amount of the foed given in each pen. Feed unlighted pens the same feed and at the same time as nearly as possible. Already good results aro appearing, appear-ing, tsays Professor Aldor. While It Is too early to attempt any statement of results, an appreciable Increase in the number of eggs laid has been noticed. The lengthening of the day has had as much if not more effect on the old hens than on the pullets. In commenting on the experiment, Professor Alder bald: "Several problems present themselves them-selves In thlB matter of a lengthening of tho day by aitlflclal lighting. Enough additional eggs must bo produced pro-duced to pay for tho electricity used In lighting tho coops and for the In-creaso In-creaso In feed which will, undoubtedly undoubted-ly occur. Just how much more feed will be eaten will bo determined by keeping a careful record of all tho materials fed. Wo will also determine deter-mine whether or not tlve'ppcedlng up of egg production will decreaso tho laying life of tho hen and her Unlit Unl-it y as a breeder. None of our breeding breed-ing stock Is being used In theso, ox-perlniont.?, ox-perlniont.?, but wo will hatch from these chickens In order to determine whether or not their value as breeders breed-ers has been diminished by the experiment. ex-periment. Tho resulting chlclts will alio bo cloroly watched." |
