What kind of lighting is best for quail - the nuances of bird breeding

What kind of lighting is best for quail? My husband and I decided to breed them, in the spring a dozen birds were bought. They spent the summer outdoors in a special enclosure. For the first wintering, the husband equipped a cage for quail and installed it in the barn. Our barn is warm, but we haven't figured out the lighting yet. There is an ordinary light bulb, but its light will probably not be enough. And one more question: how long should the light burn and should it be left overnight?

More and more poultry farmers decide to breed quail. Firstly, they have a high egg production, and quail eggs are considered a dietary product. If the family has small children, this is the best choice for a variety of their diet. By the way, with some diseases, quail eggs are also shown for regular use by adults. And secondly, birds have very tasty meat, from which you can cook a hearty and healthy broth for your child. Breeding quails is generally not a very troublesome business - several birds can be kept in a cage in an apartment. However, if there are a lot of quails, they will need a separate, specially and properly equipped, housing. Besides the fact that it should be warm in winter, lighting plays an important role. The lack of light and even its excess affects not only egg production, but also the health of birds. Therefore, you need to know which lighting is best for quail. The light regime of the bird is also important, because, unlike chickens, quails have an accelerated metabolism, but they also eat only in light. How can you find a middle ground so that the bird rushes well, but at the same time has the opportunity to rest?

What is the best lighting for quail?

Turning on an ordinary bright lamp in a barn for the whole day would be wrong. If the room is too light, the quails begin to behave aggressively. They peck each other and often to death. In addition, feathers fall out and birds stop rushing. Quails are most comfortable in dim light.

Experienced poultry farmers say the use of blue or red lamps reduces biting.

In the shed where the cage stands, there must be a window so that daylight can penetrate there. But in winter this will not be enough and you cannot do without additional lighting. The best option is to install infrared lamps... Not a bright light emanates from them, moreover, such a backlight will help maintain the temperature.

Another option is LED bulbs. Although they are expensive, they are economical to operate and provide soft lighting. For a small sparrowhawk, a 10-watt light bulb is enough.

Optimal light conditions for quails

So, we figured out the lighting of the cage or quail poultry house during the day. It should be muted for at least 15 hours, although in winter you can leave it on for the whole day. Now for the night lighting. According to the standards, quails rest about 4 hours a day. But given the fast metabolism, it would be wrong to completely turn off the lights at night. For such a long period of time, the bird will become very hungry and will eat too much in the morning, which is fraught with blockage of the goiter. In order for the bird to gain weight and rush well, it is recommended to leave the lamps in a dim mode for the whole day. Divide the night into 2 periods lasting 2 hours. Then the light mode of the quail will be something like this:

• 6 am-12 am - lighting is on;
• 12 o'clock in the morning - 2 o'clock - the lights are off, the quails are resting;
• from 2 to 4 in the morning - the light is on again, the birds are active, eating;
• from 4 to 6 am - second rest break, lights off.

With such a light mode, quails will show high egg production, grow well, and gain weight.

Lighting and daylight for quail - video