Dark coop, light suggestions

[SouthDakotaLiving]

My shingled shed-converted coop is very dark in winter in the daytime. I have a hanging light with cage around it but it only puts out 75 watts. I like the design, but it's still too dark for them to be able to forage around in the hay on coop floor and so on.

I'm looking for something with brighter light capacity. It would be great if it could be used flexibly with a timer, though the timer is not essential. I am not looking for dusk to dawn since I want to be able to use it flexibly--often during the day--and when I go in in the morning to wake them (so that they can move about safely and get to their food).

It would also be great if I had the option to use a solar panel but also to be able to bypass the solar and just plug in to extension cord when desired. I'm not sure that such a solar option even exists, and solar is not necessary either.

It would be great if it had a dimmer option and a remote control, but these aren't essential either. I've been researching for weeks and somehow can't find anything that fits the bill. It can be a simple light, just really looking for something brighter than what I currently have. Does anybody have links/suggestions?

 

[DobieLover]

Why don't you install more windows? Then you can have all the free natural light that the chickens need. How large is your run?

 

[imacowgirl2]

I just use a regular 4 ft shop light, and have it plugged in to a smart plug (so it automatically turns on/off on my schedule) but I can also just press a button on my smart plug to manually turn it on/off. I also use my Alexa to turn the light on/off from inside the house when I need to.

I also have half my roof as the clear panels to let in a lot of natural daylight but since your roof is shingles, that probably isn’t an option. One of my walls is also just hardware cloth, so that lets in light. Are your walls done in metal panels? If so you could replace a couple of those with the clear panels…

 

[SouthDakotaLiving]

Why don't you install more windows? Then you can have all the free natural light that the chickens need. How large is your run?

My run is not yet winter-proofed, so sometimes they have to stay in coop for several days at a time. I have two windows and adequate ventilation but cannot install more windows easily and am currently waiting for handyman to have time to come help with other aspects of design. Yes, natural light is the best option under ideal circumstances.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

The usual shop lights for us just were not cutting it especially in the winter. Even with 8 lights on the bright winter days if you walked from outside in the snow to in the barn you could not see anything hardly for a few minutes. If you Google “High Lumen Garage Light” the type we used come up. I have seen solar powered options, remote options etc. Mine are just the regular ones from Menards that are $11 each. We have had them for a few years and they really light up the barn better than anything I have used in the past.

 

[SouthDakotaLiving]

I just use a regular 4 ft shop light, and have it plugged in to a smart plug (so it automatically turns on/off on my schedule) but I can also just press a button on my smart plug to manually turn it on/off. I also use my Alexa to turn the light on/off from inside the house when I need to.

I also have half my roof as the clear panels to let in a lot of natural daylight but since your roof is shingles, that probably isn’t an option. One of my walls is also just hardware cloth, so that lets in light. Are your walls done in metal panels? If so you could replace a couple of those with the clear panels…

Thanks, I'm curious about your shop light. Might you have a link or brand name? I'm not tech-savvy and don't even have a smart phone and no Alexa. I'm not really needing anything high tech or automatic. Simple is better for me, really, though a remote control might be handy.

I live in a severe climate so must have four (wooden) walls. I have a dutch door type set up and can open up the top of the door or the full door on the south side, but would still like a different lighting option. Trying to put in skylights/panels on roof or redesigning walls is more than I had in mind.

Thanks for your input.

 

[SouthDakotaLiving]

The usual shop lights for us just were not cutting it especially in the winter. Even with 8 lights on the bright winter days if you walked from outside in the snow to in the barn you could not see anything hardly for a few minutes. If you Google “High Lumen Garage Light” the type we used come up. I have seen solar powered options, remote options etc. Mine are just the regular ones from Menards that are $11 each. We have had them for a few years and they really light up the barn better than anything I have used in the past.
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Oh, thank you! I saw these types of designs and bypassed them bc they looked huge. I will google "high lumen garage light." I did not really know what terms to put in my searches and this should help a great deal. Thanks so much!

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Oh, thank you! I saw these types of designs and bypassed them bc they looked huge. I will google "high lumen garage light." I did not really know what terms to put in my searches and this should help a great deal. Thanks so much!

They have all different sizes for them. Mine aren’t that big, but there are definitely some bigger ones out there.

 

[SouthDakotaLiving]

They have all different sizes for them. Mine aren’t that big, but there are definitely some bigger ones out there.

I'm pretty confused about lumens and watts. My coop is 83 sq feet. Do you have any idea what I should be looking for in lumens? I found a few that looked possible on Amazon, but discovered one might need a 10 foot ceiling or the light would be too bright.

I think I need a 100 watt (incandescent) equivalent in brightness, as the current light only permits 75 watts max.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I'm pretty confused about lumens and watts. My coop is 83 sq feet. Do you have any idea what I should be looking for in lumens? I found a few that looked possible on Amazon, but discovered one might need a 10 foot ceiling or the light would be too bright.

I think I need a 100 watt (incandescent) equivalent in brightness, as the current light only permits 75 watts max.

Lumens is how much light is emitted from the bulb while watts is how much power it uses. Ceiling height will definitely determine what is best. How high are your ceilings?

For example, you can have two different bulbs both are 75 watts. One is 800 lumens while the other is 1100 lumens. The bulb that is 75 watts and 1100 lumens will be much brighter than the other bulb even though it is also 75 watts.