# Light System question



## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

I could probably find the answer to this, (or maybe not  ), but thought I'd ask here to see what you guys think. 
If I changed to lights to come on EARLY in the AM and moved my birds to a natural sunset, as opposed to the lights going out at midnight, do you think it would hurt anything? 
I'll leave the lights on the breeders just like I have them, because I'm sure that we'll have a few more nights of really cold weather and the water will freeze. I'm not so very concerned about that with the weaned youngsters. 
But I'm thinking about changing the light timing on the 20 youngsters that are already weaned and trapping, as well as for the second round that I haven't even weaned yet. 
I don't see why it would make a difference. 16 hours of light is 16 hours of light, BUT, I've never tried this and just wonder if it would make a difference with these guys that want to stay out way past dark. I have them sitting in the aviary at 10:00 at night. They just have no clue what gradual darkness is. PLUS, I could fly my birds in the afternoon which is something I don't do now. They either fly early in the AM or if the weather is bad, they just don't get out that day. 
Give me some feedback if you can.


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## ace in the hole (Nov 27, 2007)

I would not do it all in one quick change. If they are going out at midnight now you will have to bump it back about six hours or more. I would do it gradually over a week, so the birds systems can adjust to it. One hour a day at the most would be my recommendation.

Good Luck & keep us informed on how you do it and how it works for you. I'm sure others will be along with their ideas on this as well.

Mark


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## zimmzimm3 (Aug 17, 2007)

Yes lovebirds please keep us updated on what you try i am very interested on if this works for you. If it does I think i will try it.


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## Happy (Dec 19, 2004)

Renee, Makes perfect sense to me & it works better..... Hap


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## k-will (Dec 15, 2007)

my only question is this,which would you have them see if they only can see one...sun-up or sundown?me,if i was flying ybs(which im not),i would be most concerned with my birds awakening to a natural sun-up,which i did always while flying the darkening system.i always believed that it was important that they see it every day when they will be released early in the morning on most all yb races.renee,personally i wouldnt do it.my darkened birds never saw a sunset the whole year before being raced and never made any difference.again-i believe natural sunrise to be important.just my .02

whatever you do-good luck with it.


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## zimmzimm3 (Aug 17, 2007)

k-will said:


> my only question is this,which would you have them see if they only can see one...sun-up or sundown?me,if i was flying ybs(which im not),i would be most concerned with my birds awakening to a natural sun-up,which i did always while flying the darkening system.i always believed that it was important that they see it every day when they will be released early in the morning on most all yb races.renee,personally i wouldnt do it.my darkened birds never saw a sunset the whole year before being raced and never made any difference.again-i believe natural sunrise to be important.just my .02
> 
> whatever you do-good luck with it.


But by the time races started wouldn't they have already be adjusted because you shut the light off before races start (to trigger the molt) so wouldn't they already be adjusted to the sunrise by race time.


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

zimmzimm3 said:


> But by the time races started wouldn't they have already be adjusted because you shut the light off before races start (to trigger the molt) so wouldn't they already be adjusted to the sunrise by race time.


No she wants to move back to natural so that she doesn't have night flights.


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## k-will (Dec 15, 2007)

i was speaking of the "natural" clock that i believe a homer possesses.i believe that them seeing the natural sunrise every day is best.

but,others have done well not doing this.there are many roads to rome.this is just my way.maybe i didnt answer her question.but,i thought i did.

unless she is flying the birds twice a day,i cant imagine where night flys would come in to this question.but,maybe i missed something.ok,i read it again.i still dont understand why she wants to switch the lights back.i will be interested if she adds to the thread tomorrow.


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## roxtar (Aug 21, 2006)

I think she's having trouble with her birds staying out all night. So she wants them to get used to it getting dark in the loft neturally so that their internal clocks might spur them to come back from loft flying.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

k-will said:


> i was speaking of the "natural" clock that i believe a homer possesses.i believe that them seeing the natural sunrise every day is best.
> 
> but,others have done well not doing this.there are many roads to rome.this is just my way.maybe i didnt answer her question.but,i thought i did.
> 
> *unless she is flying the birds twice a day,i cant imagine where night flys would come in to this question.but,maybe i missed something.ok,i read it again.i still dont understand why she wants to switch the lights back.i will be interested if she adds to the thread tomorrow*.


I'm thinking about doing this so that I CAN fly the birds twice if I want to OR if we have bad weather in the morning, but it clears up in the afternoon and evening, I can still fly the birds. Right now, I either fly in the morning, or I don't fly at all. I made the mistake of flying in the afternoon the first year we were here. THAT didn't go so good, plus I know how they act when I DO turn out the lights. Because of the lights going out at midnight, they just have no clue what "getting dark" means. One minute it "daylight" and the next it's pitch black. As far as their internal clock, I agree. They "know" what time it is, when we aren't screwing around with mother nature  , but I'll turn my lights off mid-May anyway and in a week or so, they'll be used to the natural sunrise. 
Does that make more sense?


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## k-will (Dec 15, 2007)

i understand now.i guess that will work.


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## jojo67 (Jul 14, 2007)

Hi renee, i was loking at the light system, and did'nt like the thought at night the light go from light to total dark, so if there was birds are that on the floor they would'nt see the way back to the perches or nestboxes,
I have seen a light design which takes 30 seconds to light up and at night instead of going striaght out, they go out over a 30 minute period, so was thinking this would give the birds time to see the light was fading and would start to roast for the night. They cost about £160 and for next year i think i will get this.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

jojo67 said:


> Hi renee, i was loking at the light system, and did'nt like the thought at night the light go from light to total dark, so if there was birds are that on the floor they would'nt see the way back to the perches or nestboxes,
> I have seen a light design which takes 30 seconds to light up and at night instead of going striaght out, they go out over a 30 minute period, so was thinking this would give the birds time to see the light was fading and would start to roast for the night. They cost about £160 and for next year i think i will get this.


That's a good point, however, I've never had a problem with anyone getting caught off the nest. I'm sure it could happen though. I put my breeders on lights two weeks before they are paired up. By the time they lay eggs, they've been on lights for 3 weeks and their internal clock is pretty well set and they just know that the lights will go out and are already settled for the night. However, I do have my hall lights on a dimmer switch, so about 10:00 I go out and dim the lights down. That way IF someone is caught off of the nest, they can see to get back to it after their eyes adjust to the dim light. If you can get the light thing you are talking about, that would be even better. Anything that makes it easier for the birds is a good thing.


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## zimmzimm3 (Aug 17, 2007)

Are you going to try to give them all of there light in the mornings now lovebirds? If you are make sure to tell us how it is going. This sounds like a great idea because of school i can't let my birds out in the morning because it is still dark when i leave for school so i can only let them out in the afternoon. Let us know what happens.


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## zimmzimm3 (Aug 17, 2007)

Are you going to try it?


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

zimmzimm3 said:


> Are you going to try it?


I haven't really decided yet. I've got a couple of days before I start moving my second round to the YB loft. IF I do this, I'll do it the first night they are in the loft. Can't really decide whether I should try it, or just wait until next year and not change things in mid-stream.


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