Solar powered LED lights for chicken coop?

[title town chickens]

I just finished my first coop and would like to light the coop to keep the chickens laying in the winter. I am considering using a solar powered LED light. How many lumens do I need for a 3' X 4' coop? Will an LED provide the proper wavelength?

 

[jtbrown]

I will be watching, had estimate for 1500 bucks to run electric to the coop, will figure out something else before that!

 

[CarolynF]

I'd like to do this too and my coop is also 3 x 4. I was looking at LEDs at Lowes and found some that are supposed to provide light in the daylight range. But at $23 each they'd better be awfully good. I don't know about the solar part of it unfortunately. I'd really like to learn.

 

[sonew123]

well I can't offer much except DH bought one for our new coop this weekend. It does NOT work well at all...Very very dim..I guess it would be ok ok you need to barely see a lit path in your coop at night but thats it....I dont think it was one of the really expensive ones though? less than 100$ more than 50$?

 

[Chocobo]

Quote:
I was going to ask this EXACT same question.
I have read that the color of light is important as well. Meaning you need less or more light depending on the wavelength to keep them laying but I've never found specifics.
I do know that the average LED covers a very narrow band of the EM spectrum unlike incandescent lights but you can get LEDs in many different colors.
There are "white light" LEDs that cover a wider range of the spectrum by using a phosphor coating to convert blue or ultraviolet light into white light similar to how fluorescent bulbs work but I do not know the efficiency of these types or if a solar cell is powerful enough to utilize them. ( http://www.gizmology.net/LEDs.htm ).
I am curious if it would be better to find the optimum wavelength and use LEDs that come close to matching it or if it would be better to use "white light" LEDs if solar cells are powerful enough to run them.

 

[MakNugget]

I'm still trying to find the perfect light.

I bought this for the first coop. Perfect set up, with a solar panel, hi low settings, pull to turn on. But the darned thing is far too dim for human use. It's probably just fine if you're trying to extend laying though. With that said, I don't use it anymore, but the chickens do! They managed to pull the string into the coop and I find it turned on sometimes.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013HPNRY/ref=wms_ohs_product_T2

Instead I have a twin fluorescent work light/wand thing via extension cord on a timer. Not my ideal set up but it helps the human see.

 

[eggboy]

I asked a similar question on here and decided it is probably not worth it. I am still however considering wind turbines.

 

[CarolynF]

I read somewhere that the amount of light needed for the chickens is what a person would need to read a newspaper. I'm guessing that doesn't mean an extended reading period, but rather just enough to see it, so maybe the equiv. of a 25W bulb? Has anyone else seen anything more informative? I also read here on BYC a couple people saying they use the LED rope lights we see at Christmas. For me it's the solar part that will be the toughest. We're still looking into it -- slowly.

 

[youngfish]

I was looking at LEDs at Lowes and found some that are supposed to provide light in the daylight range.

 

[ange92040]

we only use light at night because I read they shouldn't be in total darkness at night and we use about three lawn solar lights, we took of the spikes and hang them they work great and plenty of light to check on them and we have one that likes to prowl the run at night so she can find the door and find her way out and do her prowling.