Hey all,

 

I was wondering what type of artificial lighting people use and how they use it, Also is it possible to add artificial lighting inside a cage? Say for instance a 40watt globe connected to a balast which is on the roof of the cage, Covering it to prevent burns isn't and issue as I have specially made light covers for my reptiles.

Even without a thermistat/dimmer I don't see any problems arising due to heat from a 40 watt globe as cages are open fronts and wouldn't retain too much heat

 

 

what are your thoughts?

I don't use artificial lighting, not because I don't want to but more because I don't have the facilities to be able to. It'd be lovely to have lights in the bird room and be able to spend evenings out their doing what we love.

 

I know some people have been using the UVB lights which I hear help to aid in the synthesis of Vitamin D3. I have never seen anyone who had lighting to individual cages and I am not sure why you would do it instead of just lighting the whole bird room. It would certainly give more uniform light and the birds might find having a light globe in their cage a little bright I would imagine.

 

If you are to use the artificial lighting to simulate longer days then I would definitely suggest just lighting the breeding room, that way if you need to you can still be out there working with the birds, with the point source lighting of each cage it would make it a pretty patchy experience unless you had lights on the roof too, in which case there would be no need really for the lights in individual cages.

 

Those are my thoughts on the subject anyway! Cheers

Lighting in your birdroom is great. Mine has fluorescent light. The 40 watt globe inside the cage will put out some heat and would not be necessary at all. I use 40 watt globes in my hospital cages and even with an open front cage you will build up heat, their water sours quickly and so on.

I use Arcadia lighting, it's brilliant and means I can breed all over winter.

What is "Arcadia lighting"?

I use Arcadia lighting, it's brilliant and means I can breed all over winter.

Funny thing about this lighting.........research indicates it has to be really close to the cages for it to be effective. Fluorescent light will light up a whole birdroom enough. I am yet to be convinced that these expensive light globes that need replacing every six months and should be used closer to the cages than you use them are actually doing what they claim..........you may be convinced Renee, but it may be entirely other things you attribute to the globes that is affecting your breeding.

I use Arcadia lighting, it's brilliant and means I can breed all over winter.

Funny thing about this lighting.........research indicates it has to be really close to the cages for it to be effective. Fluorescent light will light up a whole birdroom enough. I am yet to be convinced that these expensive light globes that need replacing every six months and should be used closer to the cages than you use them are actually doing what they claim..........you may be convinced Renee, but it may be entirely other things you attribute to the globes that is affecting your breeding.

 

Yes, it is true I am a convert But I get back to the wonderful article Daz posted about Don Burke's research into Vitamin D and the importance of direct sunlight for the absorption of it. Now my breeding room really doesn't get much sunlight in the winter so I feel comfortable providing the "bird friendly" artificial alternative. The flouro tubes are quite expensive but I look at it as an investment. Two years ago I bred 75 chicks, by the time I wrap up in November I will have easily bred double that amount this year. I suppose breeding my own hens has helped and of course I'm very happy with the health of my birds ....

 

Incidentally I have recently switched from providing Calcivet as a liquid calcium suplement to Calcivite Plus which in addition to the calcium also contains Vitamin D3 and magnesium and doesn't contain all that added sugar content.