Feed restriction during the growing period, forced molt, and egg production.

An experiment was conducted to examine postmolt laying performance of White Leghorn hens that had been subjected to feed restriction from 8 to 20 weeks of age. During the postmolt period, birds in all forced-molt (FM) groups consistently had higher percent hen-day egg production than the control birds. Within the FM groups, birds that had previously been restricted fed during the growing period at the rate of 70% of the control group's consumption (R70-FM) consistently had higher percent hen-day egg production during most of the postmolt period than the nonrestricted fed birds (Ad lib.-FM). Significant (P less than .05) improvements in albumen height and shell thickness were observed 4 weeks after the FM period. When premolt, molt, and postmolt periods were combined, R70-FM birds had the highest percent hen-day egg production and the best feed efficiency of any group.