What times do members darken and open their lofts.....?

could anyone give me some idea if im darkening correctly. im opening at 9 am and darkening at 5 pm......this is giving me only 8 hours of daylight which isnt a lot........compared to 13 of darkness.

am i doing this right..........?

i darken mine from 4 in the afternoon till 9 in the morning thats only 7 hours david this is the times that i was told to do it

thanks rene, was thinking 8 was too short a time of daylight..... didnt like doing it to them as they seemed a bit down this morning when i took covers off, ok when i let them out tho`

my loft is closed down from 8pm opend up at 12 midday these hours suit me because of work
Ken

hi ken, so im right in giving them 8 hours day light.....? i know you have said before that fanciers should do it to suit their own times as long as the period of light and dark are the same.........


ken, i feed twice a day so how long before darkening do they need to be fed.....?

i lighten up loft at 8am and put shutters on between 4pm and 5pm

david once they have been out for the excercise period and called in feed them as normal, and if you want to give them a little bit extra say half hour before you close up that will be find, but i just give them their evening meal and thats it
Ken

so minimum of 8 hours.....? do you think 30 mins eather way would make any difference if im home late one day.....?

friendsloft wrote:

david once they have been out for the excercise period and called in feed them as normal, and if you want to give them a little bit extra say half hour before you close up that will be find, but i just give them their evening meal and thats it
Ken

ken, ive stuck to my same routine of 1/3rd or the rations after morning exercise.....then 2/3rds evening. should i alter it now they are on dark....?

Just up the evening meal abit
Ken

confused now ken.............ill pm you.

thanks ken, sorted it out now, i understand........ will do.....

David it is what suits your way of working, i don't think half an hour either way makes much difference

4.30 to 8.30 in morning

stormqueen wrote:

4.30 to 8.30 in morning

so yours is roughly the same as mine then john isnt it.......9 till 5 suits my time available to see to the birds and if im away earlier than 9 the wife will take the covers off.

same here perfect 9-5

8am to 4pm 1st day on darkness today

peel bros wrote:

same here perfect 9-5

excellent ray, getting into the swing of it now......just making sure i feed at least half hour before darkening.

they are dropping to bitd already...............

we were told pick the time that suit;s you.
but then stick to it.
and as to how dark to make the inside of your loft.
one member said it;s got to be pitch black.
then another member said if you can just read a paper that;s dark enough.
WHAT DO OTHER MEMBERS THINK.

hi john, i prefer to darken so you can read newspaper.........(ish) mine isnt pitch black because like ive been told by members the birds will still need to drink etc, i have a bit of light coming in through the air gap below the roof and im happy with that.....

we open up at 10am & close at 6pm ...

vader wrote:

we open up at 10am & close at 6pm ...

once you start doing it at a certain time, do you have to stick to it.....? or could i change mine to 10 till 6..........instead of 9 till 5.?

well this year david they are in a new section and cant get it pitch black i could read a newspaper in it once its darkend donw so hope it works will be puting them on sunday

hi john, put mine onto it sat evening for the clocks going forward.........mine is dark enough to read a newspaper because i thought if it was pitch black it would compramise the ventilation......

so ill see how they go as its my first time darkening, roughly how long does it take for them to start moulting..........?

DAVID wrote:

vader wrote:

we open up at 10am & close at 6pm ...

once you start doing it at a certain time, do you have to stick to it.....? or could i change mine to 10 till 6..........instead of 9 till 5.?

Hi David change time anytime you want, as long as birds get 8hrs daylight,
we sometimes change to 11am to 7pm, but try and feed at the same time if possible ...
Bill