C 26 3 rd International Poultry Conference 4 – 7 Apr. 2005 Hurghada - Egypt - 506 - EVALUATION OF COMMERCIAL LAYING HENS PERFORMANCE IN FLOOR PENS AND CONVENTIONAL CAGES UNDER SOUTH VALLEY CONDITIONS IN EGYPT. El-Sheik, T. M. 1 and Ali, A. K. 2 1 Faculty of Agriculture, South Valley University, Sohag, Egypt 2 Assiut National Company for Poultry and Eggs. Abstract : A total of 9000 White and Brown laying hens were divided in to two groups: 4500 hens ( 2250 white in two replicates and 2250 Brown in two replicates too) were housed in battery cages with 5 hens per cage with a density of 690 cm2 per bird; the other 4500 hens were housed in intensive free range combined with a floor system and a density of 9 birds per m2 were used in this study. Egg number, egg weight, egg mass, mortality and rate of lay were recorded daily per group from 20 week until 73 week. At 20, 40 and 60 weeks of age 10 birds of each experimental replicate were visually assessed for the middle claw on both feet was measured with a dressmaker’s tape. At 36 and 72 weeks 30 eggs were collected from each group. Eggs were individually weighed, then broken and the inner contents were placed on a leveled glass surface to determine yolk and albumen grade. Percentages of yolk, albumen and shell were calculated. Shell thickness was estimated by Ames shell thickness gauge. Yolk color scores were determined according to the La Roche scale (scores 1-15). Birds in cages had higher hen housed and hen day production by about 3.5 and 3.7%, respectively, than those in floor. The results regarding egg weight and egg mass per hen per day through 53 weeks of production were highly significant (P<0.001) in cages than in floor by about 2.2 gram and 4 grams egg mass per day, respectively. Daily feed consumption per hen was significantly (P<0.001) lower in cages than in floor by about 3.8 grams. Total feed conversion throughout 53 weeks production was the best in cages than floor, it was 2.08 vs. 2.31 kg feed/ kg eggs, respectively, the differences were significant (P <0.001). Mortality rate per week was significantly (P<0.05) higher in cages (0.25%) compared to floor (0.19%). Total mortality rate during the production period (53 weeks) was significantly increased by 3.41 % in cages (14.52 %) than those in floor (11.81 %). White hens were superior egg production in either hen day or hen housed production by