Performance of Single Comb White Leghorn Hens Subjected to 4 or 10-Day Feed Withdrawal Force Rest Procedures

Abstract

When resting commercial laying hens, a system of minimum length that yields an acceptable increase in egg shell quality as soon as possible after force resting is desirable. In each of three experiments, a treatment that utilized a 4-day feed withdrawal period was compared with a control or an acceptable conventional method. Feed was withdrawn for 96 hr after which the birds were returned to the diets being consumed before the rest period was initiated. Other management practices, such as providing water ad libitum and the use of lights, were continued without interruption. Egg specific gravities for birds subjected to the 4-day rest were significantly improved over those recorded for eggs laid by control hens and were comparable to those obtained from a conventional (10-day feed withdrawal) rest procedure. Short rest birds returned to production much sooner than birds rested by the 10-day feed withdrawal and 25-day recovery procedure. Those hens subjected to the short rest procedure had egg production and egg weights comparable to those obtained or anticipated from other resting methods and values generally superior to those obtained with the control (no rest) treatment.