Lights.com sells timered battery operated lights to chicken farmers

[ConPollos]

Problem solved! Lights.com sells a string of 100 warm white LED lights with a timered battery pack to chicken farmers. The sales rep I spoke to emailed me the links. He said he's knowledgeable about the chicken winter lighting issue. http://www.lights.com/d-battery-box-with-timer-p-34410.html

http://www.lights.com/warm-white-100-led-strand-for-connectable-string-light-systems-p-16823.html

I am so happy to find these because I Googled many times and couldn't find anything similar, then one of the companies I called referred me to Lights.com.

 

[ConPollos]

PS The rep said you would have to turn on the lights manually on the first day, like at 3:00 or 4:00 AM, and they'll shut off automatically six hours later. After that they'll automatically turn on and off at the same times every day.

In case the other reps are not as knowledgeable about chickens, his name is Michael Barreto.

 

[brickabracker]

Have you used these successfully?
I wonder if, when you change the batteries, you need to also reset the timer (so, wake up at 4am AGAIN to set it). Or only once?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Also, how long do the batteries last...

 

[123RedBeard]

They seem to use either a d or a cell batteries ... While they could be rechargeable ... And charged from a solar panel, I think they would need to be removed to get charged ... Seems more like a lot of work ...

Look here https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1023134/solar-light-to-keep-egg-production-going-in-the-winter

 

[brickabracker]

I called them, the AA box lasts a few weeks, the D box last over 2 mths. But it sucks you have to wake up at 3AM to set the timer initially, then it runs at 3AM every day. But then, when you replace the batteries, you must do it AGAIN! A pretty not-fun solution IMO.

 

[123RedBeard]

And are those numbers (days) figuring on cold does not allow full battery potential?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Not to mention it would also depend on the number of strings you have attached. You can attach up to 4 to AA battery pack or 6 to the D pack. Of course, they also have a solar panel option with timer for $25.