VIII.—Factors affecting the Hatching Weight of Brown Leghorn Chickens

Abstract

Routine observations on the growth of chickens from a flock of Brown Leghorns maintained at this Institute indicated that factors, apparently closely associated with season of the year, caused considerable variations in the rate of growth. It is possible to conceive of two distinct means by which seasonal factors may produce their effect (1) directly on the growing chick, or (2) indirectly in that their influence may be exerted on the hen and transmitted to the egg from which the chick subsequently develops; either or both may contribute to the final variations obtained.