Coop lights using smart plugs?

[TomZilla43]

I was looking at putting some lights in my coop and considering using indoor/outdoor smart plugs in conjunction with our Amazon Alexa device to set-up the start/end times for the lights. I'm just curious if anyone else out there is doing this and to what degree would you say it's working well or not so great......

TIA
Tom

 

[cavemanrich]

I don't want any part of Alexa, or its relatives, so cant help you much. I also think that the reliability may not be 100% due to many factors. Power surges, power outages for short times, and signal blocks due to many other circumstances. Distance of coop from signal source being one. A light setup on a timer is easiest solution in my logic. Simply,,,,, "set it and forget it". I have lights on a timer for my chickens at this time, since they are in winter housing inside my garage loft. 12 hours on, and 12 hours off. In early spring, they go to their outdoor coop.
I also post to a funny thread,,,, so I dug up the following to entertain.

 

[jreardon1918]

I use a smart plug with Alexa. I will put the lights in the run in the next few weeks. I will set the timer to turn on before sunrise. At first i will di it just a few minutes before sunrise. By mid January they will come on pretty early. Hopeful production will startup by mid January.

 

[jreardon1918]

I should add that the lights are in the run. They just shine in the windows which face east. My attempt to simulate sunrise.

 

[PirateGirl]

If your wifi reaches your coop, I don't see any reason this wouldn't work for you.

 

[imnukensc]

Sorry if I am derailing this thread, but I gotta ask ---- @cavemanrich, why in the world are your chickens in the garage for the winter?

 

[jreardon1918]

If your wifi reaches your coop, I don't see any reason this wouldn't work for you.

Our coop is about 100' from the house. The wifi is a bit spotty, but it is just lights turning on and off. It does not control the outlet with the heat for the water.

 

[Henry&Friends]

Sorry if I am derailing this thread, but I gotta ask ---- @cavemanrich, why in the world are your chickens in the garage for the winter?

my chickens were in my basement mud room for roughly a year until I saved up for a coop... aka $300 Walmart shed. I gotta say, the basement was warmer but I enjoy not smelling them from upstairs.

 

[aart]

I use a smart plug with Alexa. I will put the lights in the run in the next few weeks. I will set the timer to turn on before sunrise. At first i will di it just a few minutes before sunrise. By mid January they will come on pretty early. Hopeful production will startup by mid January.

What will the increase be, in minutes per day?

I should add that the lights are in the run. They just shine in the windows which face east. My attempt to simulate sunrise.

Not sure that will work. The light needs to be where the birds are, so it shines right onto their heads. Here's a pretty good article on supplemental lighting.

 

[cavemanrich]

Sorry if I am derailing this thread, but I gotta ask ---- @cavemanrich, why in the world are your chickens in the garage for the winter?

You are not derailing anything,,,,, But every good answer,,, deserves a good question All my girls are pets. I have hens only.
I have Serama chickens and a 2 Polish chickens plus 3 other pet chickens. The Serama, are not cold hardy. The Polish have large Hairdoos, that mop up the water when they drink. Their heads would be frozen solid in winter if they were in coop, and outdoor run. The Seramas would be,,,,, well Freeze-dried
Inside my garage I have a LARGE loft. that I also used to house pigeon in before.
I didn't measure, but estimate area to be about 60 square feet.
There is hay in portions of loft, Sand in portion of loft I use for dining area. Water is in 3 separate heated bowls. Lights are on a timer allotting 12 hours of light.
During extreme cold periods, I heat garage to just above freezing.
I don't have to worry about letting chickens out in morning, and locking up in evening. I do check water and food daily. Chicken don't seem to mind being there at all. Plenty of interesting thing for them to scratch and do all day.
Inside garage I also provide access to my feral population seen in Avatar. Separate food and water. There is small cat port door for them ground level of course.