SUPPLEMENTAL LIGHTING TO PROMOTE INSECT AVAILABILITY

[centrarchid]

Last night insects likely not at high enough rate. Chicks more active and not conserving heat like they normally do. They probably spent more additional calories being active compared to sleeping and intake did not make up difference. Will watch thermometer to come up with a rule of thumb. Temperature was less than 58 for duration of night.

 

[centrarchid]

A pattern developing. Warmer temperatures bringing in more and larger insects to chicks penned under light. Chicks getting very fleet footed going after the insects. Rate insects coming in greatly decreases sometime after midnight. Chicks do not sleep until then.

 

[centrarchid]

Kids putting a different input stream on this. They are collecting beetles by hand and placing them in into a large Ziploc bag. This will be in addition to a greatly increased rate of in-flights to light source. This is our first warm night of 2020.