Electricity Needed for Out-Building - Need Suggestions!

[darkmatter]

My Coop has been in use over twenty years without electricity. Chickens have been kept by Humans for over 5,000 years without electricity.

 

[MarineCorpFarmr]

Some of us don't get snow, but get weeks on end of 110*F. I actually had ac running out in the coop for nearly a month.

 

[mamashea]

I really am not looking for heat. The building is going to be insulated with a combination of hay bales and 6 ml plastic sheeting. I want the chickens to keep themselves warm and not provide artificial heat that I can't sustain in the event of a power outage. All I want is to provide light for increased egg production. What if we were to simply use something like this?

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-25e...yword=solar+lights&storeId=10051#.UFfV3I5CC18

 

[MarineCorpFarmr]

Ive been told you need about a 40 watt light for an area up to 8x8. But if you want an honest opinion, dont do it. let nature take its course.

 

[KDK1]

I really am not looking for heat. The building is going to be insulated with a combination of hay bales and 6 ml plastic sheeting. I want the chickens to keep themselves warm and not provide artificial heat that I can't sustain in the event of a power outage. All I want is to provide light for increased egg production. What if we were to simply use something like this?

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-25e...yword=solar+lights&storeId=10051#.UFfV3I5CC18

Just a little FYI here. Subsidized light for egg production should be pre-dawn. So if you're willing to go out to the coop every morning at 4am and put the lights in the coop that were sitting in the sun all day the day before (the rocks must be in the sun to charge every day), yeah, they would work.

 

[mamashea]

That's great. I'm trying to maintain higher egg production in the shorter, darker days though. Looking for a way to install a light. That's all.

My Coop has been in use over twenty years without electricity. Chickens have been kept by Humans for over 5,000 years without electricity.

 

[MarineCorpFarmr]

The problem with the solar light you linked is without intervention, it will charge during the day and turn on at dark, as well as continue to stay on until the battery drains. most small lights like that dont even last all night so if you have cloudy days you wont have light. Better solar setup would be a bigger battery or two a bigger panel 12v lights and timers.

 

[lilchick]

When you referred to a heating pad under the waterer I hope you mean a heated base and not actual heating pad...

As far as running electricity to coop I use heavy duty outdoor extension cord to plug in my fans in summer and heated water bases in winter. I use a green colored one so it blends in summer.

Never been a problem for me as long as you use the correct type of extension cord. AND remember to take them up when mowing the yard in the summer...

 

[rungirl]

I am still using the 100' extension cord to power the lights and water heater after 2 years. (I'm not breaking up ice all winter!) I had good intentions of replacing it with romex but haven't gotten around to it. Over time, the extension cord has just about buried itself in the ground from weather and grass growing over it. I can actually mow over it and not hit it. I know where it is because it's a straight line from the corner of the house. So I think I might just do the same thing with the romex and let it work its way into the ground by itself. As long as it's in a low traffic area and not over a driveway you might just do that. Just remember where you put it. If you ever move the coop, you can just pull it up. I don't think it's necessary to trench a line for a chicken coop. If the line gets cut someday, I'll just lay another one. The worst that will happen is a breaker might trip.

Lisa

 

[Eggcessive]

The 100 ft cord with a double outlet plug to me would be cheapest. You only need a 40-60 watt bulb on a $7 timer to add light. I would then plug in a $20 dog water bowl directly to the cord. You can use plastic ice cream pails or a metal dog dish inside to make cleaning easier. Those will probably only be needed 3-4 months a year.