Temperature and Calorimeter Study on Hens in Individual Cages

INTRODUCTION ENVIRONMENTAL factors greatly influence production characteristics of chickens. The effect of varying temperatures on egg production traits of Leghorns in cages has not been investigated thoroughly. It is the purpose of this paper to report the results of such a study. The work was done at Agricultural Research Center of the U. S. Department of Agriculture. The study was cooperative with Animal and Poultry Husbandry and Agricultural Engineering Research Branches of the Agricultural Research Service. The senior author was on leave from the University of California. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES AND EQUIPMENT S. C. White Leghorn pullets, hatched on March 8, 1954, were raised on the range until August 5, then brought indoors and placed in three-tiered 48-hen capacity commercial individual laying cages. Later on August 19, thirty pullets selected on the basis of maturity and egg production were used in the three groups. The ambient room temperature during the week . . .