title: Feed restriction during the growing period, forced molt, and egg production.
abstract: An experiment was conducted to examine postmolt laying performance of White Leghorn hens that had been subjected to feed restriction from 8 to 20 weeks of age. During the postmolt period, birds in all forced-molt (FM) groups consistently had higher percent hen-day egg production than the control birds. Within the FM groups, birds that had previously been restricted fed during the growing period at the rate of 70% of the control group's consumption (R70-FM) consistently had higher percent hen-day egg production during most of the postmolt period than the nonrestricted fed birds (Ad lib.-FM). Significant (P less than .05) improvements in albumen height and shell thickness were observed 4 weeks after the FM period. When premolt, molt, and postmolt periods were combined, R70-FM birds had the highest percent hen-day egg production and the best feed efficiency of any group.
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D010058:Oviposition; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D013997:Time Factors