Forced molt and second year production of hens laying brown-shelled eggs

Abstract

The Lajas Research and Development Center evaluated different methods of forced molting among medium weight, brown-egg-producing hens of the Hisex strain that had been laying 10 months. Second year production, efficiency of feed utilization, egg weight and initial and final body weights did not differ (P = .05) among the four treatments. The group in which molting was forced by removing drinking water 2 days and feed 12 consecutive days (T-4) had the poorest results, but very similar to those of group in which 25,000 p/m zinc oxide was fed 6 days (T-2). The control group (T-1), that was constantly fed a laying diet, had an efficient production, almost as good as that of T-3, in which molting was forced by removing water 1 day and feed 6 days. All groups gained weight (about 0.33 kg/year) even though feed was restricted to the amount locally recommended for light weight WL hens: 114 g (4 oz) per day. Therefore, this amount is ample for sustaining efficient production among medium size, brown-egg-producing hens kept under a tropical environment.