|
Post by Alan on Jan 10, 2010 20:39:25 GMT -5
In an effort to improve the efficiency and timings of my hatching and slaughtering of turkeys and guineas this year I used a gift certificate given to me for Christmas to run to the local True Value hardware and pick up an outside lighting timer. It's been running now for four days for four hours after dark (at about 6:00 here) in order to trick the birds into thinking spring has arrived and the day has reach the peak 15 hour setting.
I've had a standard Wishard bronze hen laying eggs here and there about every three or four days all winter and breeding since last fall (she is breeding stock "keeper" status, LOL) since the lighting has gone in, she has laid one egg every day and is breeding with the four toms left and right, furthermore today I had a blue egg and a black egg and have seen the other hens attempting to breed.
I have also witnessed the guineas breeding far ahead of when they should. I will report more later.
-Alan
|
|
peapod
gardener
Zone 4, acidic soil, and sandy loam that I have worked on for 4 years. Fixing the bad stuff.
Posts: 175
|
Post by peapod on Jan 10, 2010 21:59:38 GMT -5
Hey Alan, I have been raising chickens and turkeys and ducks for a number of years now. One thing that you may want to concider is giving your poultry supplements when they are forced to do unnatural things. They go dormant during this time for a reason and when we humans interfere with that we also need to care for this kind of interference.
First of all when you use the extra lighting you may want to back it off and increase the lighting slowly rather than an extra 4 hours staright away. It's very hard on their biology. The other item you may want to do is supplement their diet with fresh greens and some vitamins while they produce eggs.
If you plan on keeping the chicks because they are starting to breed. I'm sure you know that they will need a heat source.
Good luck and hope this helps.
|
|
|
Post by Alan on Jan 10, 2010 22:23:54 GMT -5
;D Yep, was increasing the lighting in increments for a couple weeks before I got the timer, just essentially got tired of walking out to the coop in the dark, cold, and snow to turn the lights off. I increased the light over a two week period, so it didn't just throw them into egg laying mode. Right now they are also getting some vitamin A, Kale and Turnip Greens, and a ton of Red worms to compensate for seasonal deficincies, this is also along with a good milled "Egg Ration" from local sources.
Thanks for the advice though!
|
|
peapod
gardener
Zone 4, acidic soil, and sandy loam that I have worked on for 4 years. Fixing the bad stuff.
Posts: 175
|
Post by peapod on Jan 10, 2010 23:38:31 GMT -5
atta "boy"! what else can I say. I am so glad to know you care for you livestock like you do your chestnuts! ;D
|
|