# Lights on for breeding?



## Southwing (Feb 7, 2008)

I want to keep lights on in the loft to speed up breeding but don't know how to go about it. Do i just turn them on for a hour a day or 12 hrs? Some people in the club leave them on all night and some different hrs. The reason I am doing this is they have decided as a club to move the first YB race date up a month to try to miss the heavy hawk hits.

Southwing


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## learning (May 19, 2006)

Southwing said:


> I want to keep lights on in the loft to speed up breeding but don't know how to go about it. Do i just turn them on for a hour a day or 12 hrs? Some people in the club leave them on all night and some different hrs. The reason I am doing this is they have decided as a club to move the first YB race date up a month to try to miss the heavy hawk hits.
> 
> Southwing


Last year I had my lights on 24/7 in the breeding and young bird lofts untile May. This year I put the breeders on 18 hours so they could get a natural sundown. My lights are on a timer and come on at 1:00 AM and go off again at 9:00 AM. 

I am sure there will be others that will do it differently. To each his own.

Dan


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## Southwing (Feb 7, 2008)

Will it cause them to molt again or not?


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## wayne f (Oct 25, 2009)

I put my birds on 24 hour light for a week then cut it down to 12am till 8 am. The cocks are driving the hens like mad right now.
Wayne f


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## victor miller (Apr 29, 2009)

hi

i left mine on 24 /7 so my water would not freeze and all the pigeons are laying so i would leave the on 24 /7 if you want them to lay


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## ohiogsp (Feb 24, 2006)

I have mine on 20 hours a day and my birds are sitting on the second round of eggs now.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

I have 9 pair with lights on 24/7. The others have natural lighting simply because they're not in the building with lights  Helps keep everything warm and dry during these nasty cold months (except this week which has been nearly 70 degrees!  ).


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## Remarc Lofts (Nov 13, 2007)

I have had good luck this year with only having the lights on from 4pm to 11pm. It seems to have extended the daylight out long enough to have the desired effect and has helped with the electric bill


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## DEEJAY7950 (Dec 13, 2006)

Just my opinion, but leaving lights on 24hrs a day is really not necessary and may, just may take something away from the birds, like rest for one thing, birds do need to have a rest period from all those hormones going berserk, as long as you have more daylight than dark I think this is all that is needed to spark the breeding instinct in the birds, many think more is better but that is really not the case, so you could have 16 hrs of daylight and 8 hours of dark and accomplish the same thing and give your birds a much needed rest from all the activity of breeding, JMHO! Wishing you all the best in the coming months!


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## Southwing (Feb 7, 2008)

I have put the birds on light from 4:30pm to 10:30am and they have been going crazy. I got 5 of 6 pairs that have all ready made nests and 3 of the 6 pairs in another loft. Every thing seems to be going good I should have eggs by next week sometime.

Thanks Mike


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## LUCKYT (Jan 17, 2009)

In the Chicago area, my Rollers had almost weaned Squeeks at this time, NO lights You just have to raise the amount of light to at least 16 to really pump them. Dave


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## Southwing (Feb 7, 2008)

Thanks, how does the light system and dark system work. Everyone was saying that since we have moved the YB season up a month that we would have to use the light system to get them to molt on time. I have no idea on how and at what age to do this?


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

Southwing said:


> I want to keep lights on in the loft to speed up breeding but don't know how to go about it. Do i just turn them on for a hour a day or 12 hrs? Some people in the club leave them on all night and some different hrs. The reason I am doing this is they have decided as a club to move the first YB race date up a month to try to miss the heavy hawk hits.
> 
> Southwing


I think that could turn out to be a catch 22. If you move the races up a month to avoid hawks, and then you move breeding up a month....depending on where you live....the hawks will hit you harder around the loft, as you attempt to settle the babies. I live in Penna. In Jan/Fed the Coopers are at the loft every day looking for snack food. I have lost 5 so far to Mr. Cooper. Later in spring the robins come to town, and the Cooper is not quite as bad.

But, for me, I have timer coming on at 12 midnight and going off at 4 PM, that way less chance of timer cutting off lights when mamma left nest to get a drink or eat.


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