Dr. Kenneth E. Anderson of the Poultry Science Department, North Carolina State University has issued his latest report on caged flocks. Details relating to the standardized test procedure can be obtained from Dr. Anderson.
There were no obvious differences in feed conversion, hen day production or case weight over the 455 day first cycle for either white or brown hens. Hen-housed cumulative egg production was adversely effected by mortality and this is reflected in the contribution representing the difference between egg income and feed cost.
In this test, both brown and white caged hens were compared at a stocking density of 64 inch2/hen with two cage sizes allowing either six or eight hens in a cage. Increasing group size from six to eight hens resulted in elevated mortality.
