Coop camera lens = dust magnet

[wf1992]

I'm addicted to watching the camera I installed in the coop a couple weeks ago - as if I didn't waste enough time watching chickens already!

I'm constantly having to wipe dust off the lens, and wondered if anyone has dust repellent suggestions?

 

[aart]

Get rid of the chickens?
JK.

@DobieLover any suggestions?

 

[DobieLover]

Get rid of the chickens?
JK.

@DobieLover any suggestions?

Feather duster? Should be plenty of them.
I don't seem to have that problem.
I get the errant cobweb flopping around in front of the camera that really makes it impossible to see when the IR lights come on.

 

[K0k0shka]

I have two cameras in the coop and don't have that problem, but they are both installed high and tilted slightly down. Maybe that helps - the dust doesn't seem to be settling on the downward-tilted lens. There is plenty of dust on top of the camera though, so it's not like there isn't any.

 

[Craig Cowan]

Suggestion
it may work
gently wipe lens with dry “ dryer clothes softener sheet”
helps w/ static electricity !!!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have two cameras in the coop and don't have that problem, but they are both installed high and tilted slightly down. Maybe that helps - the dust doesn't seem to be settling on the downward-tilted lens. There is plenty of dust on top of the camera though, so it's not like there isn't any.

Same here, I have mine set up high (too high for me to change batteries ha!) and tilted downward, so dust doesn't settle on the lens.

 

[wf1992]

So this is what it takes to make me buy dryer sheets? It must be static tho, because the dust actually accumulates in a ring on the lens - it's weird.

And yes, hopefully it'll be less of a problem once the snow melts and the feather dusters are spending more time outside, instead of stirring up dust scratching in their bedding!

 

[linguini]

I'm addicted to watching the camera I installed in the coop a couple weeks ago - as if I didn't waste enough time watching chickens already!

I'm constantly having to wipe dust off the lens, and wondered if anyone has dust repellent suggestions?

Isn't it so true? (the addiction) I also have a birding binocular on my desk so I can look out of the window to peek into the run to spy on them.

We don't seem to have any problem with the lens. Our camera unit is mounted on the top corner of the coop and tilted down. Our chooks only go into the coop to sleep and lay eggs, no other activities, so probably a low dust environment to start with.

 

[wf1992]

The answer was indeed dryer sheets - the lens has been clear for days now.

Now I just need to reposition the camera so I can see better into the nests. My 6 babies have started laying and not the colors I expected, so I need to see who's laying what!

 

[linguini]

The answer was indeed dryer sheets - the lens has been clear for days now.

Now I just need to reposition the camera so I can see better into the nests. My 6 babies have started laying and not the colors I expected, so I need to see who's laying what!

We are luckier with ours - we have 7 breeds among 8 girls (two EEs). Each of them started squatting, nesting box investigation/lurking and then laying at different time, practically in sequential order spanning from Nov to mid Feb (for 8 birds). And each one of them has a different signature color/shape/weight-range, so it was easy for us to spot when a new girl becomes "egg mature". It's been so much fun.