To be successful you need good birds in the first place. The moment you mate your breeders is of vital Importance. Those birds Should be in perfect condition then. For Western Europe This Means you have to put on the lights about two weeks before the mating pigeons. About 14 hours artificial daylight in the lofts is fine.In case the first birds do not lay eggs in 10 days and / or too many birds are not on eggs in 15 days there is a problem. Better separate them and try again When the condition has shapen up. Or visit a fat. Even When the condition is fine May there always be one or two pairs That refuse to mate. May it help to put a lot Such a pair in an empty loft for a couple of days.