Night Shift Darkness System

Wiley · April 22, 2012

Afternoon gentleman, would like to let you guys into something I am experimenting with this season. As some are aware I work constant night shifts. The way I have done the darkness system for many years is open up at 8 closed up at 4 in the afternoon. This season with one section I am experimenting with less hours of light. Let me explain about the loft, the loft that is being experimented with, when darkned is not in complete darkness, it's much like moonlight the birds and myself can easily see the drinker, and I know from the water levels being taken they are drinking during the hours of darkness. Unlike the traditional darkness system the birds do not receive the traditional 8 to 9 hours of light but in fact only receive a maximum of 3 hours. The birds have been on the dark since the middle of March. Through observation between the section on traditional darkness, the team on this experiment I have found that the body moult has been and is at much of an excelled rate, and unlike the traditional system where the odd bird may moult a primary I have found in this section there is not one case unlike the other section where there is 3 out of the 16 in the section that have dropped one flight. I personally feel the section with the less hours of light will be able to be taken of the darkness much much sooner then the other team. I will be hopefully updating if I notice any differences with training and racing. I should mention both section are allowed out for exercise daily together so are at the same process of flying around home.

Henrik · April 22, 2012

Afternoon gentleman, would like to let you guys into something I am experimenting with this season. As some are aware I work constant night shifts. The way I have done the darkness system for many years is open up at 8 closed up at 4 in the afternoon. This season with one section I am experimenting with less hours of light. Let me explain about the loft, the loft that is being experimented with, when darkned is not in complete darkness, it's much like moonlight the birds and myself can easily see the drinker, and I know from the water levels being taken they are drinking during the hours of darkness. Unlike the traditional darkness system the birds do not receive the traditional 8 to 9 hours of light but in fact only receive a maximum of 3 hours. The birds have been on the dark since the middle of March. Through observation between the section on traditional darkness, the team on this experiment I have found that the body moult has been and is at much of an excelled rate, and unlike the traditional system where the odd bird may moult a primary I have found in this section there is not one case unlike the other section where there is 3 out of the 16 in the section that have dropped one flight. I personally feel the section with the less hours of light will be able to be taken of the darkness much much sooner then the other team. I will be hopefully updating if I notice any differences with training and racing. I should mention both section are allowed out for exercise daily together so are at the same process of flying around home.

Could be an interesting experiment, I too work constant nights and will be good to know how these perform against the other team.