Seasonal Variation in Quality of Eggs Laid by Caged Layers and Their Sisters on the Floor

Abstract

EXPERIMENTAL work comparing egg quality characteristics of caged and floor layers is rather limited. Jeffrey and Pino (1943) compared blood spot incidence of caged and floor birds. Their work showed caged birds to have a lower incidence of blood spots than did the birds on the floor. The incidence of blood spots in the eggs from caged birds was 4.01 percent as compared to 11.09 percent in eggs from the floor birds. Jeffrey (1945) reported results contrary to his earlier work when Rhode Island Reds in cages produced eggs with a higher percentage of blood spots than did the floor birds. Gowe (1955) reported no significant differences in egg weight of caged and floor layers. Lower egg production was observed in the caged layers than in the birds on the floor. Lowry et al. (1956) reported higher production in caged birds. The birds had significantly lower mortality, larger eggs, and . . .