Feeding Activity of Caged Layers

In planning an experiment involving blood sampling at known times after ingestion of food, it was evident that the pattern of feeding of laying hens during the day required investigation first. Several investigators have examined the effects of environmental temperature on total daily or weekly feed intake (Huston et al., 1957; Squibb, 1959; Mueller, 1961; Swanson and Little, 1968). The fluctuation of feed consumption on an hourly basis during the day was examined by Ballard and Biellier (1969) and Wood-Gush and Home (1970) in relation to photoperiod and oviposition. Ballard and Biellier (1969) found that feed intake increased five hours before the end of the light regime. Wood-Gush and Home (1970) found above average feed intake the first hour after “lights on” and below average feed intake in the last two to three hours before “lights off.” The fluctuation of feeding activity of broilers during the day as influenced by…