The daily food consumption of laying hens in relation to egg formation

Synopsis

The voluntary food consumption of, respectively, 4 and 5 colostomised laying hens was studied in 2 experiments at both normal (20° C.) and high (30° C.) environmental temperatures over a total period of 60 days. Food consumption was greater during 24 hr periods when egg formation was in progress than when no egg was present in the oviduct. At high temperatures food intake was reduced less on egg‐forming than on non‐egg‐forming days.

In a further experiment lasting 24 days 12 normal pullets laying for long sequences with pauses of single days consumed 25 per cent more food in the 19 hr period 14.30–09.30 hr when eggs were being formed than when they were not. During the 5 hr period 09.30–14.30 hr food consumption was significantly greater when albumen was being secreted than when shell formation was in progress.

It is suggested that the requirements of the bird for albumen synthesis may regulate food intake during the period of egg formation.

Notes

Present address: Agricultural Research Council's Poultry Research Centre, King's Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, 9.