Effect of Light Quality on Erratic Egg Laying of Caged Turkey Hens1'2

ABSTRACT The effect of light quality on erratic oviposition (two eggs laid during a 24-hr-period) and the shell quality of erratically laid eggs of turkey hens in cages during 20 weeks of production were examined. Hens were exposed to one of the following sources of light: blue, green, red, or incandescant for 16 hr of light per day (16L:8D). The intensity of light was equal-ized among treatments on the basis of equal number of photons (3.0 X lO'Vcm'/sec). The frequency of erratic oviposition was similar for all light treatments, ranging between 13.4 to 15.3 % of total eggs laid, and most occurred in two-egg clutches. With erratic ovipositions, the first egg was laid during the daily dark period, whereas the second egg was laid in the daily light period, 11.6 to 13.0 hr later. Oviposition time and shell quality were significantly influenced by light treatment. As wavelength increased, shell weight of the erratically laid eggs decreased. Thus, shell quality and the timing of oviposition of erratically laid eggs may be influenced by light color