EFFECT OF NON-FEED WITHDRAWAL INDUCED MOLTING TECHNIQUES ON FEATHER MOLT SCORING AND EGG PRODUCTION OF CAGED HENS

This study was conducted to compare the effect of various molting methods on feather molt score and egg production of caged hens. Three hundred twenty four Single Comb White Leghorn (Babcock) commercial layers (60 weeks old) were divided into 27 replicates of 12 layers each. Each treatment comprised of three replicates with 36 hens each. Hens were molted 1) feed deprivation, 2) fortified ground corn, 3) zinc oxide, 4) aluminium oxide, 5) moderate zinc and low calcium, 6) copper sulphate, 7) progesterone, 8) thyroxin and 9) untreated hens served as control. Hens were subjected to respective treatments for two weeks and were offered feed @ 35 g/bird except T1 (no feed) and T9 (full feed). In the following five weeks, hens were given feed @ 45 g/bird except T9 (110 g/bird) and during postmoult period hens were fed @110 g/bird. The results of this study revealed that primary and overall body feathers started shedding in the first week while secondary feather shedding started in second week of molting. Maximum primary and secondary feather scores were observed in T1 and T7 while minimum scores were noted in T9. Similarly, overall body feather score was maximum in T2 and T8 while minimum values were exhibited by T9. Egg production was maximum in T6 followed by T4, T3 and T1 while minimum values were observed for T9. On overall basis, present study revealed that the hens can be molted by non feed withdrawal molting methods (supplemented with minerals) with better egg production as compared to feed deprivation method