Nevadans?

[NevadaRon]

That is a great price. The website doesn't list reviews for this item. I've been reading so much about these solar panels good and bad. I'd feel better if I could get a couple of reviews on it. Anybody tried this brand or have another brand they are happy with?

There are two reviews at the bottom of that page. Both good. I have no experience with that brand but I have bought numerous items from Northern Tool and have been happy with everything I got there. It's all been top quality stuff!

 

[SunnyDawn]

A light isn't helping my egg production.

Or maybe it is - and it could be a lot worse! Virtually all of the chicks I got last year are molting at the same time. So that is all of my EEs, plus the BOs and SLWs. And 'Tude and Sis have both decided that they are not only not broody anymore, but they're on strike from laying! So I'm not getting anything but brown eggs from my two year ago flock. They all lay very large to downright huge brown eggs though, so that's a plus. Production is definitely less than half of normal - maybe only a third. I have my light plugged into a thermocube, so it comes on when the temp goes below 35º and goes off above 45º.

A thermocube is a great idea too. Yes the light helps with the short days thing but it doesn't do anything for a molting or broody hen. It is already getting dark at around 4:30 here. I can definitely tell we are farther north than we were in San Jose! The Petersons don't help much. The sun sets fast on the east side of this range.

Quote: Oops. Guess I didn't scroll down far enough. Thanks Ron! And thanks Missy for the link! This just might be exactly what I'm looking for!

 

[SunnyDawn]

OK, Steve and I decided to get 1! Yea!!! I'll let you all know if they help. I like that they are LEDs. Much less risk of coop fire though they wouldn't help for keeping young chicks warm. But that's not what I'm looking for in this case. I can't wait to get it! It's like Christmas is coming early except this is a way cooler present than I usually get. hahaha! (don't tell my kids I said that)

 

[Rural Chic]

All of the sudden I'm craving an ICEE. Have no idea why...

Congrats on the new chicks coming Tolipgirl! I'm only getting 2 eggs a day from my 60+ chickens so I feel your pain. OK so several are roos and others aren't old enough but STILL! I went from 2 dozen eggs a day to 2! 2!!!

I wonder why you would be craving an ICEE...

So tomorrow is our big day for the most amount of work done on the new run. I am hoping to get it all done and have the door cut so they can come out to play a bit before bed time. If not then they will have put up with all the noise and fuss for nothing another day. The weather was totally no fun the last few days so i'll have to pull out the sweat shirts so we don't freeze. The upside... We won't get HOT!
Oh and sorry to hear about your girls not laying... guess what mine are not laying either.... To young still.

So we are still eating store bought. Yuck!

 

[americanvalkyrie]

Meh, only 3 stars on Amazon, but it's from just 4 reviewers:
http://www.amazon.com/Nature-Produc...828&sr=8-13&keywords=solar+light+nature+power

This one is 4 stars from 84 reviewers, at $28.05. It says it can light 2-4 hours, depending on output... which really might be just enough to extend the day to what we need.
http://www.amazon.com/Designers-Edg...=1352527924&sr=8-1&keywords=solar+power+light

(Did I mention how much I love Amazon?

)

 

[SunnyDawn]

I wonder why you would be craving an ICEE...

So tomorrow is our big day for the most amount of work done on the new run. I am hoping to get it all done and have the door cut so they can come out to play a bit before bed time. If not then they will have put up with all the noise and fuss for nothing another day. The weather was totally no fun the last few days so i'll have to pull out the sweat shirts so we don't freeze. The upside... We won't get HOT!
Oh and sorry to hear about your girls not laying... guess what mine are not laying either.... To young still.

So we are still eating store bought. Yuck!

Oh that's much worse!

Luckily when I had to rebuild my flock after moving last year the BYC folks here kept me in eggs til my girls started laying. I'm just too spoiled now to go back to store bought eggs. Soon enough it will be but a distant memory and the trauma of having to eat store bought eggs will be well behind you.

lol

 

[americanvalkyrie]

OK, Steve and I decided to get 1! Yea!!! I'll let you all know if they help. I like that they are LEDs. Much less risk of coop fire though they wouldn't help for keeping young chicks warm. But that's not what I'm looking for in this case. I can't wait to get it! It's like Christmas is coming early except this is a way cooler present than I usually get. hahaha! (don't tell my kids I said that)

Hmmm you have a good point on the LEDs. We have the daylight balanced bulbs, but we were going to put them in cheap clip-on desk lamps. Funds are a little low with the heater going, and the lamps are $5 each. I was going to fix some hardware cloth over the bulb. But LEDs would be much smarter.

That's the kind of thing I'd want for Christmas! People think gifts like that are insincere... ok, buying something I USE for all my passions and joys (and taking care of my family is one of them) is MUCH more sincere than the tin of stale popcorn.
Gifts Russ has given me: a heating pad and wrist wraps while I was going through massage school, renewal of my state business license (same month as my birthday), cheesemaking kit, new running shoes. To me, that's totally romantic.

 

[americanvalkyrie]

Soon enough it will be but a distant memory and the trauma of having to eat store bought eggs will be well behind you.

lol

I know, right???

The biggest reason I'm concerned about egg production: Sales to two regular customers currently pay for the feed. If we can't sell, then we're not getting our eggs for free! I like to justify my babies that way.

 

[Rural Chic]

Oh that's much worse!

Luckily when I had to rebuild my flock after moving last year the BYC folks here kept me in eggs til my girls started laying. I'm just too spoiled now to go back to store bought eggs. Soon enough it will be but a distant memory and the trauma of having to eat store bought eggs will be well behind you.

lol

I am so looking forward to that day. I do hope at least one of my geese and ducks (that are still coming) will be female so I have have a few LARGE eggs every now and then too.

 

[Rural Chic]

I know, right???

The biggest reason I'm concerned about egg production: Sales to two regular customers currently pay for the feed. If we can't sell, then we're not getting our eggs for free! I like to justify my babies that way.

I have one neighbor who I owe some eggs for letting us use his drill when ours died. Another for putting up with the noise and I like them. (elderly couple who supply us with holiday goodies last and this year).
One of my co-workers is looking to buy eggs from me so I'm hoping I have plenty of hens.