How do get electric to the coop

[Akane]

Get a 16gauge or better outdoor extension cord, put it in pvc pipe sections, and tape up any connections well with electrical tape or similar. Currently I'm running 300' of extension cord to my coop and have had no problems. I plan to get some better insulated cable when the weather gets warm since it does result in low output by the time it gets to my coop but for less than 100' the extension cord would work fine for many years.

 

[danielnv]

You can dig the trench, lay the industrial quality cord (yellow, sold by the foot) inside the grey PVC, and then connect the ends into the plugs (you just use a wire stripper on the ends of your cord, and use a screwdriver to connect it to your plug-then once plugs are on both ends of the cord, you have made yourself an extension cord with the majority underground, 1 end coming out of the ground and PVC far enough to plug into an outlet on your house, the other end long enough to reach the desired location in your coop.)

It's a good idea to plug this into a gfci outlet, but that's probably what you have outside your house already.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Just buy a roll of Romex underground electrical wire, and put your own plug on the house end, and a duplex outlet on the other
Then you wont need the PVC

http://www.doityourself.com/icat/46810gauge

 

[rlhbond]

Even with the Romex underground wire, I like the PVC tubing. I've had to repair my Romex where rocks rub throuth the insulation on the wires. Just my $0.02

 

[patricew]

I run a heavy duty extension cord out to my coop in the winter, get most of it up off the ground by resting it on the clothes line. I have a metal water heater from the feed store up on cinderblocks in the coop, with a galvanized waterer on top of it. Seems to work fine. One of these days tho I WILL dig a trench and have an electrician (my good old Uncle Eddy!)install REAL outlets in the cooP!

 

[patricew]

Oh, and by the way, it gets to -20 here many nights, and my girls do just fine in their unheated coop. Sometimes when it is that cold I put on a heat lamp, but I think that just makes ME feel better!

 

[invalidsession]

FWIW, I have had my chickens for two weeks now, my coop and run is over 150 yards from the nearest power supply so no heat option for me and my girls are thriving. I read extensively around these forums and came to the conclusion that many folks are "mollycoddling" their birds. Nothing wrong with that if it makes you feel better but these creatures have flourished for millenia without any special treatment. Just take a look at the wildlife around you, Ducks and Geese have been surviving quite nicely without heated heated coops and water haven't they ? I have done my very best to ensure that my converted barn/coop is as well protected from the elements as possible and I do check the water regularly but it does freeze occasionally. I have just got into the habit of strolling down last thing at night and first thing in the morning and dealing with it.
If you are really concerned about freezing water you could use a 12V heating element powered by a car battery and through a pulse timer. That would work ok but you will probably be recharging the battery every week or so until the weather warms up.

Chris.

 

[RendonRoo]

I plan to eventually build a big coop. I am going to go solar and wind power to charge a battery bank. Of course this i a couple of years down the road but worth considering ahead of time.

 

[invalidsession]

Quote:
I have looked into that Rendon but it gets quite expensive to produce enough current to power anything of significance.

Chris.

 

[RendonRoo]

My neighbor and i are building a wind generator now. It's cost should be around 200 bucks not including battery bank. Checking into free slightly used batteries so hoping that's not a big expence. Won't know how much juice it will produce but we gonna check it out.