Responses of immature pullets to repeated cycles of gradual increases and abrupt decreases in photoperiod

Abstract

1. Growing pullets were reared on constant 8, 11 or 14 h photoperiods or given 12 daily increments of 30 min followed by an abrupt 6 h decrease in photoperiod in 14 d cycles from 2 d of age to sexual maturity.

2. Birds on the experimental lighting programme matured earlier than constant 8‐h controls, later than 11‐h controls but at the same age and body weight as constant 14‐h controls.

3. Weight of the first egg was correlated with age at first egg.

4. It is assumed that potential advances in maturity for the experimental birds from the 30 min increments in photoperiod were cancelled by the retarding influences of 6 h decreases in photoperiod, resulting in their maturity being similar to that of birds reared on a constant daylength equal to the longest photoperiod reached during the cycle.