Found this on the internet, and thought it may be of interesthttp://forum.pigeonbasics.org/public/style_emoticons/default/animatedpigeons.gif The night loft (I) The night loft should be situated as far as possible from wires, trees, or other eminencies which might injure the birds in flight. (II) Shutters–Since night flying pigeons are trained and fed at night they must be given an opportunity to rest during the day. Doors and windows of a night loft are equipped with shutters that exclude light without cutting off circulation of air. (III) Lights–When birds are working at night the interior of the loft is brightly Illuminated. A light is placed above the trap in such a position that it shines faintly on the lighting board. No lights should be placed on the outside of the night loft. (IV) Lighting board–The lighting.board is larger than that normally used for day birds. It should have a length of at least five feet, and extend out from the loft at least three feet. Aluminum paint should be used on the lighting board to make it faintly luminous; the board should be repainted frequently. This would not apply where lofts have dormer type of trap. © Stocking the night loft -Continued breeding of night flying pigeons has not demonstrated that the ability to home at night is transmitted to the youngsters. In fact night birds, because of their changed mode of living, are seldom in fit condition for breeding, and will usually produce youngsters that are below the desired physical standard. For these reasons it is best to stock a night loft with youngsters from proved day fliers. (d) Preliminary training–Youngsters should be placed in the night loft when 28 days old. Breaking them to the loft and Trap should be done in the day time. During the first two weeks the schedule given for day birds is to be followed. (e) Exercise–During the third week the single toss day flights are to be continued as for day birds. In addition, the youngsters should be exercised late In the afternoon so that they learn to trap to the loft at dusk. They should be fed at this time by artificial light. Night birds should never be released for exercise after dark. To drive birds from a lighted loft out into the darkness is certain to result in injuries and losses. The youngsters continue their exercising progressively later, being released late in the daylight but so that their flying arrival is made in the dusk and darkness of night. After the fifth week they should be ready for night training. (f) Preliminary night training -Even after years of experience pigeons never lose their fear of flying at night. This fact is most important in the training of youngsters. The pigeoneer must bear in mind that the bird he tosses into the dark is always very frightened. If youngsters are given their first night training tosses in the evening, after dark, they are confused and frightened, and are likely to fly blindly into wires and trees, or settle to the ground and await daylight. Youngsters that settle to the ground on the first few night flights will do so on subsequent flights, and seldom develop into reliable night fliers. Morning tosses in the darkness just before dawn have proved by far the most successful in the training of night fliers. Youngsters tossed in the morning before dawn are as confused and frightened as if tossed in the evening; however, before they can stray very far from the loft area, or attempt to settle to the ground, it becomes light ;and they can easily find their way to the loft. Continued tosses in the morning before daylight will impress upon the bird that, even though he is confused or lost, all he need do is remain in the air until there is sufficient light for him to find his way home. Having thus overcome his initial fear his natural instinct and intelligence will come to his aid, and he will attempt to find his way hone through the darkness. After a number of successful flights to the loft in the darkness before dawn the pigeon will have gained enough confidence to be safely tossed in the evening, or at any time during the night. (g) Direction training–Night flying pigeons are very directional, and car-not be successfully flown from all directions. A bird flying well from the south will usually not be reliable if released from the north. A few pigeons will fly equally well from all directions, but these must be considered exceptions. For this reason night birds should be trained only for the direction from which they will be used. To attempt to deviate from this course by more than 450 is certain to reduce greatly the effectiveness of the pigeon. If it is expected that night birds will be required for flights from two directions, for example, from the south and from the west, two teams of pigeons should be trained, one for each direction. (h) Altitude training–nights birds that fly close to the ground upon release cannot be considered reliable messengers even though they do return to the loft in good time. Such birds are almost certain to fly eventually into wires or trees and injure themselves. Therefore a well-trained night bird should immediately ascend to a high altitude upon release, and make his flight to the loft at such altitude. The following method has been very successful in teaching young night birds to ascend at once upon release, and to remain high in the air. A field of-high corn, cane or reeds in the vicinity of the loft is selected. On a clear, moonlight night the youngsters are gently tossed one at a time into the tops of this vegetation. The pigeons will not be flying fast enough to injure themselves. However, they become so frightened in attempting to fly clear that upon freeing themselves they rise straight into the air to a high altitude. Two or three such tosses are generally sufficient to teach youngsters to climb rapidly to a great height immediately upon release. This training is not necessary in the case of youngsters which are exercised with old night birds, and who learn to follow the latter to high altitudes. Birds for this training must have successfully completed the training indicated in (f) above. (I) Releasing -Night birds should always be forcibly tossed into the air when released at night. Night birds should never be group tossed, or released from a basket. An open spot as far as possible from wires, trees, and buildings should be selected for the release of night birds. These points should be stressed in the training of handling and using personnel.
