electricity

[patandchickens]

I predict that, yes, come January you will definitely regret not having electricity in your coop; but that you and the chickens will survive anyhow, and eventually figure out how to run a line out there for next year

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[cmjust0]

No electricity in my barn either, which is where the coop's built. It wasn't too big a problem in winters past because we could just fill a 100gal stocktank near another building with power, and plug in a tank de-icer. Voila, goats had water.

Can't do that with chickens, though... I've managed to come up with enough aerial service drop cable to run the 200'+ from the house breaker to the barn, and I've got the know-how to get it done...I just can't find utility poles!!!

I don't particularly want to put cut cedars or white oaks out there, but if I don't have treated poles by the first frost.................

 

[gotpoodle]

Quote:
LOL! Yes, that's pretty much why I asked...I'd like to do it "right" (ie, for easiest future maintenance) the first time, so I can enjoy my chickens without spending the rest of my life modifying the coop. (is that even possible?!

)

I could put up a small coop and run and get my chickens NOW (which I'd love to do) or think about a bigger shed set-up and have an electrician come and put in an outdoor socket and run the wires for me ~ unionelectricwoman, I wish you lived closer, too!

~ so that we have a whole shed that can be used for chickens and future outdoor/workshop type stuff.
The second scenerio will cause a delay and then I would probably have to wait until spring for chickens.

 

[gotpoodle]

Quote:
My house is +/- 30 years old. We had an outside socket, but put a sunroom on that side of the house a few years ago, so we've enclosed the only outside plug we had.

I'm thinking I might have someone come put one on each side of the house. It's really inconvenient anyway to have to run an extension cord into the sunroom in the house any time we need to use electrical equipment outside.
Time to get some quotes, I think.

 

[chickinlickin]

I just finished building a coop..... but before winter I want to run electric to it....just for 1 light and a warmer for the waterer. My brother has had chickens for years and told me I would get real tired of frozen water in the winter....

 

[MIKE555444]

I suspect just a 100 watt light bulb could provide enough heat to take the edge off a cold winters night if the chicken house is somewhat insulated.

Some one here on the forum had said they stuck a light bulb under a flower pot at night to keep it dark and still provide a little heat for them also.

 

[Big Chicken Little]

I have electric... 2 circuits, using one and the second is a spare. Glad i put it in as it is real handy

 

[cmjust0]

Forgot to mention...I'd also like to be able to set the daggone brooder up in the coop whenever I decide to raise more birds. Keeping biddies in the house is cool for about two weeks, then it's like.....ok......time to GO.