The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1922-02-23


False floor stringers correctly built
from cold. Circulation is not bio
ers were run across the car inste
prepared by the United States Department
Of Agriculture.)
Artificial lights properly operated
will materially increase the winter egg
production Of pullets, the United States
Department of Agriculture believes.
The use of lights may also slightly in
crease the yearly egg production OF
individual hens, though not to any
marked extent The opinion of the de-
partment's poultry division is fully cor
roborated by many Of the state expert
ment stations, particularly those in
California, Indiana, Kansas, Washing
ton, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, North
Carolina, New York and New Jersey.
County agents working in New York
and New Jersey report considerable
activity in this project, in which the
Department of Agriculture usually CO
operates with the state agricultural
college through the county agent
Lighting as Feeding Measure.
1t should be well understood that ar.
tificial lighting is intended primarily as
a means of getting the hens to feed
longer than they otherwise would dur
ing the short days Of fall and winter.
An extra feeding of scratch grain
should be provided, so that the flock
is induced to eat not only enough for
maintenance but an amount compar-
able to what is eaten in the more ac-
tive laying seasons.
Lights are used soon after Septem-
Der in New Jersey, but in most local.
tiles they are started November l and
continued to April l. Conditions vary
in different states. What may be good
practice in New Jersey may not work
in Kansas. In the latter state cleo
tricity is considered the only practi-
cable kind of light, while in other
states kerosene lamps and gasoline
nantes are sometimes used. Electric
ity is the most practical method to use
wherever it is available.
How to Use Artificial Light.
The total daylight, real and arti1-
cial, should be about fourteen hours.
There are three ways Of increasing
the apparent length Of the day-by
turning on lights very early in the
morning, or by keeping them going
several hours at night, or by using
them both morning and night. While
all three methods have given good re-
suits, the first is usually found most
convenient, because the lights merge
into daylight and no Ill effects result If
they are not turned off promptly.
In using the second method some
dimming device is needed with electric
lights to lower the illumination gradu-
ally. The hens do not get to their
roosts If the light is suddenly extin-
guished. Gasoline and kerosene lamps
have to be turned down.
Artificial lighting can be abused,
with disastrous effects on the flock.
II they are run for too long a day, the
hens may produce well for short time
and then begin to moult. If the laying
passes 60 per cent, or, In the opinion
Of some poultry authorities. 80 per
cent, there is danger Of moulting and
consequent cessation Of laying. In the
spring the lights should never be
stopped abruptly. The length Of time
they are run should be shortened
about ten minutes day until they can
be entirely abandoned.
Other Points With Lights.
Fresh water should be given the
flock the first thing In the morning
when the lights are turned on. Birds
of different ages should not be housed
together or lighted in the same way.
They should be properly graded and
focked according to age. Lighting
makes 1t possible to carry February
Matched pullets through the first fall
and winter producing period with less
moulting. Yearlings and two-year-old
hens are better If started with artih-
cial lights in January, and the method
is not as profitable as with pullets. II
is considered questionable practice
to turn lights on culled hens to stimu'
late egg production. In New Jersey
where the largest amount Of work hal
been done with artificial lighting, It II
thought better to sell the culls and buy
good birds.
Artificial lights should be suspended
from the ceiling so that the entire foo1
space is lighted. II the roosting close
partition casts a shadow on the roosts
the chickens win 60 to sleep n tn
shadow.
Results In New Jersey show that II
general the use Of lights nearly doubles
production during the period OF higi
prices Of eggs and greatly increases tn
nsual net return over the cost Of lights
ana feed ia the lighted pens. The
iiehted dock showed better health thar
the ,,l,nliahted ones, and the subsequent
laying was as good among the birds
which had had wintle hkhte n N1tl
any Of the birds - --,.,,.-,