Two-way selection for threshold body weight at first egg in broiler strain females. 2. Effect of supplemental light on weight and age at first egg.

In order to undergo the processes leading to lay, female chickens must reach a minimum threshold age and body weight, and be exposed to some minimum amount of light stimulation. By two-way selection over six generations lines were developed that differed markedly in body weight at first egg. The effect of supplemental light on age and body weight at first egg of these lines was studied in two experiments. In the first experiment, birds of the two lines were provided ad libitum access to feed from hatch, reaching the weight threshold at an early age. Supplemental light was provided at either 91 or at 126 days of age (before or after the age threshold, respectively). Differences in body weight and age at first egg of the two lines were the same in both light treatments. In the second experiment, birds of the two lines were raised under feed restriction to 154 days of age and then released to ad libitum feeding under supplemental or natural (autumn) light. Differences between the lines in age and weight at first egg were greater in the group maintained under natural light than under supplemental light. The results are interpreted in terms of a model relating age at first egg to weight and age thresholds for onset of competence to respond to light stimulation, and to cumulative light stimulation required from onset of competence to first egg. It is proposed that selection affected the total amount of light stimulation required from onset of competence to onset of lay, but did not affect weight or age thresholds for onset of competence.