Purchasing lights for new aviary

[mrshorn]

I know I have seen other threads about this, but I wanted to ask anyway. My hubby is trying to buy the best lights for our new avairy, and is hitting a bit of a wall. He wants me to help, but much of the info is Greek to me. I hope you all can help. Here is a link of a kind of light he might get.... http://mmlights.com/Lumichrome%201XC.html They have all these facts on their intro page, but I don't know how to apply it all. What kind of lights do all of you have?

Candace, I think I have seen similar lights over your breeder cages. Am I wrong?

Should we just try to find lighting from a pet store?

[CandoAviary]

Hello,
I haven't seen you around...miss you.
I use the full spectrum or daylight bulbs from Lowes. I had Ott real light spectrum bulbs years ago and found them too expensive.
I give the bright flourescent lighting in the shop light type fixtures.
If birds need better lighting (direct sun raise) I move them to the outdoor aviaries or I open the large garage door and rotate the cages to get direct light for a few hours a day(when warm) I supply vitamin D in the feed or water and Have not had a problem with artificial lighting. I just try to get the brightest and the full spectrum bulbs are great for that. Also the day light bulbs or sunshine bulbs. They are all about the same just different names. They simply refer to the color of the light. Many times advertizing gives the illusion that they are like sunlight..but they are not the same as natural sunlight.

[mrshorn]

THANK YOU Candace!!! I know I am MIA again. I am a lame finch friend right now! I miss you too! We had a not great couple of weeks with Lulu, and I really don't function normally when there is something wrong with her. She stopped eating, which is key to her treatment, and we found that she had an infection. She is doing better now, and she goes in again tomorrow.

So is it really as simple as getting lights from Lowes? The stacked aviaries are going to be 6' wide 3' deep and 2' high, so what size would you recommend?

[nixity]

Not that it matters to me because I don't buy into the relevance of full spectrum lights when I feel you can adequately supply them with D3 thru their diet....
But I don't think these lights are *really* full spectrum.

It looks like they are calling the full spectrum because the visible light they put out is similar to that of the sun.
But I do not see any information on the bulbs regarding the level of UVA and UVB light produced, which is really what defines a bulb as "full spectrum."

This is also probably why they are not as expensive as "true" full spectrum bulbs.

[B CAMP]

I use the ones from Lowes&Home depot bulbs and fixtures .You can get the small under counter types at walmart just check with each

[ikhom]

I’m using daylight bulbs for my cages too and grow light for my plans. They don’t have any UV, so they won’t help with vitamin D. If you want to have light bulbs with UV spectrum you have to get expensive light bulbs and they don’t last long about 6 months. The problem with UV light is that regular glass absorbs it, so they have to use much more expansive pure glass. The dust or other deposits absorb UV light too, therefore it doesn’t last. I see that LED lights are coming on the market. They can have a really good potential. Already UV LED lights are not that expansive and last longer.

[jimlas43]

I am using full spectrum light bulbs that I get from " Swanson Health Products "

These have a 90-93 CRI and 5500 Kelvin

I could not find any better deal on full spectrum lights with the correct CRI anywhere on line. I buy a six pack of bulbs for under 30.00 and that includes shipping.
Three of them go in the ceiling light fixture and then I have either floor lamps or clip on lamps that are closer and directed at some of the cages.

[Domenic]

mrshorn, like a few others said, vitamin D can not be supplied through "full spectrum" lights, so trying to recreate the benefits of the sun won't work. In that respect, the lighting you purchase is entirely up to taste. Whatever you think looks best in your home and on your finches is the lighting you should choose. Vitamin D can be supplied through Cod Liver Oil mixed into eggfood.

[jimlas43]

Then Cod Liver oil it is then
Is this something you get from the health food store?? I have read that it spoils so what is the best practice using it??
Thanks, Wendy

[Domenic]

I get mine (and many others do too) from Wal-Mart in the health section. I buy the capsules and pop them open into the eggfood.

I've been putting 1/2 tsp. of cod liver oil for every 2 eggs in my eggfood.

[jimlas43]

Thanks, thats good to know. Now does it stay fresh for a day or so. That is how long my egg mixture lasts in the fridge??
Wendy

[lovemyfinch]

I do believe that it should be fine. Mine stays mioxed in the fridge for up to 3 days, and I have had no health issues for the year that I have been doing this.

[nixity]

Doug Taylor uses CLO and Wheat Germ Oil in his fresh egg food and sometimes leaves it for up to 24 hours and he has never had any issues in his flock as a result.

This was one of the first questions I asked him when I read his Green Day Diet Article

[jimlas43]

That's right too. Do you use that diet plan?? I just printed off the whole diet and really want to try it. I need to buy some more small crocks or dishes to use though. The problem is with using the diet is that I think I need another whole fridge for the stuff I need to keep on hand

[nixity]

I read it more for the egg food, but I do give my birds greens on a daily basis, just not the same ones.

I don't give broccoli daily, maybe once or twice a week.
But I give chopped Kale and Collards every day.