What Precision is Worth While When Weighing Hens

Abstract

In connection with much experimental work with poultry the body weight of the individuals in use is often wanted. In some experiments body weight may be used as a measure of the results obtained by a particular treatment. The question naturally arises as to how accurately they should be weighed, i. e., how great precision is necessary or worth while?

On July 12, 1920 forty-nine S. C. White Leghorn pullets, all in laying condition, were weighed at intervals of one hour from 8:00 a. m. to 6:00 p. m. Eastern Summer Time (one hour faster than Eastern Standard Time). Weights were recorded to the nearest ten grams. The pullets were being trap-nested and on this day the traps were visited at each weighing time. Twenty-seven of the birds laid. One or more eggs were secured at each weighing except 5:00 and 6:00 in the afternoon.

The eggs were weighed to . . .