Table 1.

Flock production information of laying hens in conventional cage (CC) and cage-free (CF) farms.

Production stage	Sampling dates1	# Of hens2	Age3	Weekly mortality4	Cumulative mortality5	Rate of egg production6	Case weight7	Body weight8
CC Early lay	5/17 & 9/17	20	17–21	0.03 ± 2.98E-05a	0.04 ± 8.94E-05a	3.17 ± 0.03a	14.69 ± 0.01a	1.25 ± 0.04a
CC Peak lay	5/17 & 6/17	20	25–39	0.11 ± 5.71E-05b	1.18 ± 1.36E-03b	93.33 ± 0.01b	20.61 ± 0.33b	1.48 ± 0.01b
CC Late lay	5/17	20	64–74	0.16 ± 1.20E-04c	5.78 ± 2.73E-03c	77.10 ± 0.02c	23.24 ± 0.08c	1.50 ± 0.01b
CF Early lay	6/17 & 8/17	20	17–23	0.06 ± 8.64E-05a	0.45 ± 1.05E-03a	2.99 ± 0.01a	16.33 ± 0.44a	1.37 ± 0.10a
CF Peak lay	6/17 & 9/17	20	28–34	0.09 ± 6.56E-05b	2.23 ± 9.11E-04b	90.70 ± 0.02b	21.60 ± 0.28b	1.60 ± 0.01b
CF Late lay	6/17, 8/17 & 9/17	20	65–88	0.28 ± 2.06E-04c	9.74 ± 1.42E-03c	42.00 ± 0.20c	23.01 ± 0.13c	1.54 ± 0.03b

^a-cSignificant differences were only assessed between maturity stages within each environment. Data represented as mean ± SEM. Statistical differences between production stages were calculated using Student t test with different letters indicating significant (P < 0.05) differences.

¹Dates the commercial hens were sampled in month/year. Barn temperatures for 6/17, 8/17, and 9/17 were recorded at 25.8°C, 26.7°C, and 26.1°C, respectively.

²Total number of hens sampled within each production stage.

³Weeks of age.

⁴Percentage of deaths the week before sampling.

⁵Percentage of cumulative deaths to date.

⁶Percentage of hens laying ≥1 egg per day.

⁷Weight in kilograms of 30 dozen eggs.

⁸Weight in kilograms of hens.