Motion sensor lights

i have solar lights on my coop and mounted on the fence posts around the pen. they are the torch kind i got from Lowes (around $3 each)but are not motion sensor ones. so far, no problems with pests or cats (even my own)...but i also have two xl-large St. Bernards that sleep out by the pens also!
Lowes does have the motion sensor solar lights for around $20, i looked into it for our garage entrance, but went with another lighting arrangement.

 

We have a motion light right at the front door of the coop. My husband put it there for me - I will sometimes go out (yes - after they have already been tucked in) and check on my girls if the weather is bad or I am worried about one of them. We also have one of those blinking red predator lights on the side of the fence. Not sure if they work either but we do live in farm country with coyotes, bears, racoons, etc... and so far (knock-on-wood) have not lost anyone to predators.

We do have stray cats show up sometimes. So far they have not bothered my girls at all. I have 3 cats of my own that love the chickens. Here is a pic of my Fred - he thinks he is a chicken - we have multiple pics of him laying in nests, etc... LOL ~~ I would NOT trust my girls with a stray though!

 

We are getting two from harbour freight, one for the front and one to shine in the run. We have one for the house currently and it works great.

 

I have motion sensor lights on my coop and pole barn. I helps both me and the stray cats & raccoons see better in the dark. They do nothing to scare any critters away.

 

I'm going to be using solar lights. But I got a genius idea from a fellow farmer that actually has two purposes. He plays a radio 24/7 on a low volume.
1. It keeps the chickens company.
2. It deters predators because they think there are people around.
I'm going to try it out when I put my chickens out in their coop.

 

I used to have motion sensor lights outside my coop I have since turned it off. I am of the belief that is just helps the preditors see better.

 

I want to get some, but more so I can see when the weather starts getting dark earlier. I don't think it will do much to deter critters....