The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1922-09-26
ARTIFICIAL LIGHT TO MAKE
HENS LAY
tBy r. W Kazmeier Poultry Husbandman. A. NJ College

I the idea. The newspaper reporters
made light of il. The public did
not believe il. A year later II de-
yeloped that artificial illumination
was one of the greatest factors in
fluencing fall and winter egg-pro-
duction. A year later the A. & NJ.
College tried II and found that ar
tficial illumination increased the
fall and winter egg-production by
about 60 per cent. just think OF
/ Il, 60 per cent. A flock increase Of
60 per cent is quite an item and
worth many thousands Of dollars to
poultry keepers.
The object Of artificial illumina-
ton is 20 increase the eggprOduc-
ton during the fall and winter
months. Al this time Of the year
eggs are high in price. and any in
crease will add greatly 10 the net
profits Of the flock IN the fall
and winter the period Of day light
h. comparatively short as contrasted
with the rest Of the year The
use of lights, makes the short days
longer, as consequence they eat
much more feed and lay many more
eggs. when eggs are worth real
money and when they are scarce.
This practice Is recommended for
the laying stock but not for the
breeding pens
/, was also found q good Idea o.
subject .he late Matched pullets 20
artificial light and IN this way hurry
them along and get them 10 laying
In time for high priced eggs This
plan IS much tO Doe recommended be-
cause late Matched pullets must DE
for I'd IN order to get thcm to de-
volop n time
T. was found that when lights
were used hens would go thru the
mott much quicker and get "a lay
ing earlier This is un important
item
When to Use Lights
Careful experimental data, which
Is now available clearly indicates
that the best time Go use artificial
iphte IS beginning with September
or October and all thru winter up
10 about March In other words the
lights are 20 be- used when the DAYS
begin 10 get short and as long as
they are short
There seems Co be- some difference 4
81 opinion regarding the time Of the
day to use them. Experimental data
indicates that there are three meth
ODDS 0f using them as follows;
T. The lights are turned on an
hour or two before daylight IN the
morning and again IN the evening
before u gets dark, SD as tu make a
~ hour day for the hens
o. TIE lights being turned on
only IN the evening before D. gets
dark and remain on as 10 give the
hens the same number Of work hours
as mentioned above
g. To tnrn the lights on In the
morning only usually about 1850 a.
M, and turn them of NJ soon as Do
becomes sufficiently light in the
buses for the hens 90 see When
this plan IS used the lights are not
turned on IN the evening.
OF he above plans the latter APP
pears % be the best. When the
lights are used iu the evening the
lights must Toe dimmcd for "a while
before turning them of. otherwise
the hens will not see their way 20
roost and MANY will roost on the
floor Those that use the lights in
the evening provide DINNERS or red
lights for this purpose.
Kinds OF Lights to Use
There are three important ways OF
providing artificial Illumination to
make hens lay They are electric
lights, kerosene lights and gasoline
lights The electric lights are by
far the best, involving less work
better light and less danger from
fire. II Is possible TO So install the
electric lights that they can be reg
ulated % come on automatically.
This is a great advantage Electro
city Is not available on many farms
al the present time. hence the other
methods viii be used for some time.
The home plants, such a. the Delco