LIGHTS

[greenlands]

Not paired up yet and while the weather is acting daft I'll be waiting a while,however I was contemplating putting the lights on for two or three hours in the morning ,say on about 6am.Do you think this assists bringing the birds into breeding condition or is it just a waste of electriciy also do you need the lights on for both cocks and hens.

Lindsay.

[pjc]

last year i put the lights on for the stock pairs 24/7 and had a greatbreeding season, the oldbirds could feed and water at will and keep the youngsters topped up.

[Guest Owen]

It is the light that brings all birds and a lot of animals into breeding condition. So giving your birds extra light will be of benefit to you .

And it is as important to cocks and hens. The trick is to have the lights on a timer that brings them on early in the morning and knocking off after it gets properly light. Let the birds go to bed with the natural twilight.

An added benefit is that if you rear the young on this system they will go into a body moult naturally and will mature very early. The down side is that you will need to train your youngsters much earlier that usual because if you do not you could loose most of them.

[greenlands]

Cheers for the replys.It will be another couple of week or more before I pair up,timers already in the lofts ready for the GO.

Lindsay

[blackdog]

lights on for me from 5 in morning when pairing up, once young started to chip, morning and night till 9.30 pm

[holmsidelofts]

Not paired up yet and while the weather is acting daft I'll be waiting a while,however I was contemplating putting the lights on for two or three hours in the morning ,say on about 6am.Do you think this assists bringing the birds into breeding condition or is it just a waste of electriciy also do you need the lights on for both cocks and hens.

Lindsay.

 

Hi lindsay.

I would say its very important, more important than heat. I look at it this way, wild birds pair up and come into breeding condition as soon as the equinox arrives, the equinox for those who dont know what it is is when there is 12 hours daylight / 12 hours of dark. this triggers the sexual urges in the birds and they start to pair up. that is what we are trying to achieve with artificial light, its to trick the birds into thinking the days are getting longer and its time to breed. Poultry farmers use artificial lights all the time to get the same same effect.

 

I do it by increasing the light a bit at a time, i have been doing it now for about a month and a half increasing daily, i am now at the 12 hour light and dark split and the birds are really looking well and if it wasnt for the weather at the moment i would be pairing up this weekend.

 

I think its important to increase the light in the morning as appose to the evening as i like the birds to roost naturally, If you got automatic dimmers thats a different option but i dont so i do it in the morning.

 

Jas.

  

[dwh]

Not paired up yet and while the weather is acting daft I'll be waiting a while,however I was contemplating putting the lights on for two or three hours in the morning ,say on about 6am.Do you think this assists bringing the birds into breeding condition or is it just a waste of electriciy also do you need the lights on for both cocks and hens.

Lindsay.

 

14 DAYS B4 pairing up 4-30 am to 4-30 pm  they all go down like clockwork we also have a pygmy light bulb(fridgelight)on 24/7 never had any probs.

[BLUERON]

i have lights on 630am till 1130 pm have put 3pair together last week one pair now sitting two eggs. 2and 3 pair made nest

[ally mac]

It is the light that brings all birds and a lot of animals into breeding condition. So giving your birds extra light will be of benefit to you .

And it is as important to cocks and hens. The trick is to have the lights on a timer that brings them on early in the morning and knocking off after it gets properly light. Let the birds go to bed with the natural twilight.

An added benefit is that if you rear the young on this system they will go into a body moult naturally and will mature very early. The down side is that you will need to train your youngsters much earlier that usual because if you do not you could loose most of them.[/quote]

 

Could you explain why this is the case please Owen, I had a terrible training season last year and wonder if this is where I went wrong?

 

Al.

 

 

[dwh]

It is the light that brings all birds and a lot of animals into breeding condition. So giving your birds extra light will be of benefit to you .

And it is as important to cocks and hens. The trick is to have the lights on a timer that brings them on early in the morning and knocking off after it gets properly light. Let the birds go to bed with the natural twilight.

An added benefit is that if you rear the young on this system they will go into a body moult naturally and will mature very early. The down side is that you will need to train your youngsters much earlier that usual because if you do not you could loose most of them.

 

AGREE totally think we leave thm to late starting training start lot earlier this year

[Guest bigbok]

i leave my lights on every night once i start to breed i increase the hours each night by one hour starting from when it gets dark i have them on timers and usually by end of march they are on until 12 at night i find the fertilty in my birds is increased greatly and they mount the hens more often i keep fancy breeds and keep probably the most difficult breed to keep and breed but i also have three tubular heaters on as well

i wil be pairing up after blackpool so have just started to increase the light although i only have one of the heaters on to stop the drinkers freezing i wil put the others on

[greenlands]

Thanks again.

Lindsay.

[Guest Owen]

Youngbirds need to start their training when they are the right age as opposed to the time of the year. I think you should make a start when just after the eye changes colour and when they are roving in a nice bunch. One of the reasons that some Fanciers are successful with youngsters is that they are able to keep them exercising and therefore fit.

If you leave it too long they will become sexy and loose that edge of fittness that is essential to successful training. This is also the time to split the sexes and keep them apart until you decide that you want to use sex as a motivator.

The problem you face at this time is that you will be still preoccupied with the old birds when the young birds need your attention.

[ritchie1]

i have started to keap the light on from 3.30 till 6.00 oclock at night for a week or 2 before i pair the birds up

[fredholbard]

word of warning, don't leave lights on (extended daylight) in the racing shed, as  you will bring on the moult.

 

Regards

 

 

Fred

[Guest bigbok]

extending daylight to over 16 hours will enduce moulting this true

[mark croker]

word of warning, don't leave lights on (extended daylight) in the racing shed, as  you will bring on the moult.

 

Regards

 

 

Fred

 

True,  it happened to me last year,  i was working 16 hour days and left the light on,  2 years ago,  this year they will have them for 12 hours 1 week before racing on a timer for early morning,  when they are on eggs theywill go off to provent eggs from getting smashed

done this last year and had a brilliant breeding season,   you only need it to spark the hormones and get them on eggs,  when that is done you are just wasting elecy

 

[cowman]

my hens went in loft on boxing day all made nests after 2 days 3 pairs from 9 sitting 2 eggs and the others are standing over 1 egg lights on at 3am till 8.30am

[fancypigeon_88]

used lights with mine 2 weeks b4 pairing an while paired 4.30am-7am an 3.30pm-7pm

paired up on the 11th dec an all down by 19th.