Now some ten years ago the lives of small birds,
especially sub-tropical birds, at the London Zoo were saved solely by more light. They needed food often, as do all birds, but would only feed in full daylight. The consequence was that they died, not of cold or wrong feeding, but just of starvation. An hour or two of electric light morning and evening saved their life and health. Now for many years, not least in the past year at East Grinstead, the influence of light on poultry has been proved to the hilt. An apparatus has been designed which automatically turns on electric light in the laying sheds for fixed periods about dawn and sunset in the winter months. The full light is preceded in the morning and followed at night by a blue or dim light. It may be taken as proved that this strengthens the health of the birds and induces to the laying of eggs in winter, when they are most valuable. It is more doubtful whether the sum of eggs laid in the twelve months is, therefore and thereby, increased. That electric brooders make healthy chicks is also a well-established fact.
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