I am planning a study on effect of photoperiodism on poultry seasonal breeding. I need a photoperiodic cage/chamber where I can expose birds to long hours of darkness. This means the cage has to be covered to be light proof. This will however prevent free flow of air. How can I provide ventillation in such a cage in a hot tropical environment where there is no air conditioning? If there is anyone here with this type of cage, please kindly share a picture.
Thanks in anticipation.
Mazes painted black , when designed and made properly to keep the light out, may allow sufficient airflow through them for your experiment.
Dear Muhammad
As far as I understand, you want to keep chickens in the dark for at least part of the day, in a tropical Sudano-Sahelian climate. I suppose that for reasons of statistical analysis you want to work on groups of 20-50 individuals, which assumes a floor area of about 10 m² (~100 ft²).
You have to keep the temperature at a level tolerable by animals, say less than 30°C (86°F), , while the outside temperature can exceed 40°C (104°F).
I suggest you take your inspiration from the Iranian wind towers and solar chimney
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windcatcher
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_chimney
Build your darkroom under a well ventilated shelter, and use double (triple) baffles painted matte black in front of doors and windows to let in air, but not light, as suggested by C A Kan. Provide at least two opposite openings, to be sure of ventilation whatever the wind direction.
Add a large tube to extract air from the top of the darkroom. This tube should extend several meters vertically above the roof of the shelter (say 3-5 m, 10-15 ft). At the top of the tube, a T will prevent rain from penetrating, while allowing hot air to pass through.
If the temperature inside is still too high, you can hang wet fabrics in the baffles, with a drip system to keep the moisture in during the day.
Such a system will probably be more effective in the hot dry season than in the rainy season. Therefore, test the temperature reached before introducing the chickens knowing that they too will produce heat.
Best regards
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