Quails, as an agricultural bird, gained recognition about 15 years ago. They have healthy eggs, indicated for certain diseases, and tender meat. And the breeding of these birds itself is simple. If there are few of them, then it is quite possible to arrange a corner on the balcony even in a city apartment. It is optimal, of course, to provide the birds with a separate room. The problem is that their life directly depends on lighting. How to properly install light in a quail cage?
The role of lighting in keeping quails
These birds have an accelerated metabolism, which indirectly depends on the amount and intensity of light.If the cage is too light, the quails become aggressive. They peck each other, and sometimes kill weak individuals. If there is not enough light, then egg production and the general activity of birds decrease.
Experienced poultry farmers recommend using lamps with blue or red glass. They reduce the intensity of radiation and make lighting in the cage more comfortable for small residents.
Selection and installation of lamps at home
In addition to artificial lighting, quails also need daylight. It is optimal to place the cage so that the sun falls on it during the day, and lamps illuminate it in the evening. In winter, artificial light should completely replace natural light for the inhabitants of a mini-farm.
If you plan to keep poultry for a long time, then it is wise to invest in LED lamps. They are economical to operate and shine softly. It is not recommended to place ordinary incandescent lamps in the poultry house. They warm, but do not provide ultraviolet radiation, which is necessary for all living organisms to produce vitamin D.
The lighting norm for egg production is 25-30 lux, for growing meat - 35 lux. These indicators must be observed at feeders and drinkers. Here it is worth thinking about how to properly place the lamps, depending on the type and number of cells.
Light mode for quails
The light should be on for birds for at least 15 hours a day, and in winter you don’t even have to turn it off. Quails rest 4-5 hours a day. But, given their accelerated metabolism, completely depriving birds of lighting at night is also wrong. During such a long rest, the quail will get hungry and then overeat.It is optimal to observe approximately the following light regime:
- from 6:00 to 00:00 the lamps are on;
- from 00:00 to 2:00 birds rest;
- from 2:00 to 4:00 the lamps are on, the birds are eating;
- from 4:00 to 6:00 the second part of the rest.
