Built-Up Floor Litter as a Source of Dietary Factors Essential for the Growth of Chickens

Abstract

The discovery that built-up floor litter (Kennard, Bethke, and Chamberlin, 1947) was a potent source of the nutritional factors necessary to produce eggs of maximum hatchability suggested that built-up floor litter might likewise serve as a source of the nutritional factors necessary for the growth of chickens. Consequently, two experiments were arranged to that effect. EXPERIMENTAL The first experiment, started July 27, 1947, was conducted with the growth of two pens each of 150 Leghorn-R. I. Red crossbred pullets after the first 10 weeks and until the end of 25 weeks. Both groups received the same complete starting and growing rations on the built-up floor litter to which hydrated lime had been added during the first 10 weeks; after which, Pen 1 received the incomplete ration while Pen 2 continued to receive the complete ration. The second experiment, started August 12, 1947, was conducted with ten pens each of about . . .