Milford chronicle., 1920-12-03
EXTENDING DAYLIGHT
INCREASES EGG FOOD
ARTIFICIAL DAYLIGHT GIVES POULTRY
MORE TIME FOR EATING AND ITS
CUSTOMARY EXERCISING.
MILFORD MAN USES METHOD
BY USE OF EXTRA LIGHT EGG-MAKING
ORGANS ARE STIMULATED AND The
RESULT IS MORE WINTER EGGS.

q
duction; which method was first in
troduced in this locality about two
weeks ago by Wesley Heebner owner
and manager of the large poultry
farm, located west of Milford, form
erly owned by DR.. Walter and Harry
Grier. About two weeks ago Mr.. Heeb-
ner installed an electric light plant
on his farm, and placed a number of
lights about his poultry houses and
yards with the idea of keeping his
hens up later in the evening. Shortly
after six o'clock each evening he goes
into the poultry yards and turns the
lights on full blast. The hens, who
have gone to roost at dusk, get down
off their roOsts and go out into the
yards. At this time scratch feed is
placed in the yards and the hens and
pullets get busy scratching their
extra meal. The idea is to give the
poultry an extra amount of exercise
and at the same time to give them
another feeding. The hens get their
blood to circulating, with the result
that they can withstand the cold
night air much better than they
could have had they not have been
awakened Shortly before eight o.
clock each evening the lights are
partially dimmed. The hens hunt
their roosts and at eight O'Clock the
lights are turned out.
The method being used by Mr..
Heebner is not a new one. He used ii
in Tennessee before coming to Della
ware with excellent results. Hhe first
week after the lighting plant was
installed at the local farm the out
put of eggs increased wonderfully.
The first weeks increase payed for
the cost of the generator, wiring and
labor; leaving only the engine to be
paid for. At the present time the
daily output of eggs has increased
from $40 eggs to 1000 eggs. This in
spite of the fact that other poultry
men in the vicinity of Milford report
a steady decline in egg production.
This increase of 100 per cent in two
weeks is indeed remarkable.
In line with this idea of stimulat-
ing the hens to better efforts, the
United States Department of Agricul-
ture. through its Special Information
Service" to newspapers, has sent out
the following bulletin. 1t is interest
ing in that it bears out the thought
advanced by Mr.. Heebner when he
installed the lighting system at his
poultry farm. The article follows:
Domestic fowls originated in the
tropics where the days and nights are
of about equal length. AS a result of
this, the reproductive and digestive
systems of the hen are developed to
fit the environment of a 12-hour day
and 12-hour night. For this reason |
she is somewhat like an alarm clock, |
except that she must be wound up
about every II hours instead of every
a. In the winter in the North, her
digestive system strikes at about or
4 o'clock in the morning. AS she is
unable to locate food in the dark she
has no alternative but to wait until
daylight or until the caretaker gets /
around to feed her.
Up in the north-temperate zone /
where during the fall and winter the |
nights are from 19 to Is hours long
the transplanted domestic fowl from
the tropics has changed her habits /
but not her nature During this time
she takes her vacation when she has |
the least to eat and to do. This is /
from necessity rather than from /
choice, for given an opportunity to 1
eat, exercise. and enjoy herself for u |
hours a day she lays nearly, if not /
quite so we'll as during the summer |
months.
Acting on this theory many poultry |
keepers have found it profitable to (
light their poultry houses for several .
hours each day. This heightened day,
together with the right kind of feed
and plenty of exercise has been found
to increase to marked degree the
number of eggs laid by pullets in the
fall and winter. 1t does not pay to
provide light for older hens. A A.
hour day for the laying flock during
the winter months is the aim of those
who are following this practice.
Experiments are being carried on
by the United States Department of
Agriculture at the Government poul-
try farm at Beltsville, Md, for the
purpose of securing more data on
this phase of poultry work. The re-
suits secured thus far corroborate
the testimony of others as to the
value of illumination in hen houses.
The birds used in the Government
experiments are fed four times a day,
at eight twelve. four, and some time
after dark. This last feed is for the
birds breakfast. In addition to the
four feeds a dry mash is kept con-
stantly before the birds.
By means of an ordinary alarm !
clock an electric switch is turned on .
about 4:30 in the morning. Care is
taken to increase the length of the
time of illumination gradually or the
effect on the birds would be disas- {
trous. At the close of the season the
decrease must be made slowly. From
November 1, the opening of the pullet
season, to April 1 is the time when :
lighting is usually provided for fowls.
To secure the desired results it is
necessary not only to provide food
ready for eating when the birds
awake. but also water. In very cold
weather some special means of heat
ing it must be provided or the water /
ing trough will be frozen over The
birds will not do well if drink is not [
available also. A small oil lamp un-
der a bucket, an electric attachment c
for slightly heating the water, and a q
watering tank insulated somewhat az y
ter the idea of a fireless cooker are
the methods used for keeping the I
water for the flock at a temperature
above freezing.
In pen 20 by 20 two lights rather
than one should be used A wide-ang-
led reflector that will throw the llght
to all parts of the building also helps I
to get the best results from the
amount of electricity used. To save IL .
the windows should De .
placed when feasible on the south' !
east. and west sides of the buildlng'
White ceilings and side walls. pc
onnrn thou rnfoct the light also help. D