Nite Guard Solar Lights, have any of you used them, did it work well

[cat1994]

I don't have a really bad predator problem (knock on wood), but I say those Nite Guard solar lights i just wanted to see if any of you use them? If so did they really work as well as they say? Are they woth it?

 

[Judy]

There have been threads on here before about these, and the consensus was that they don't do much good, as I recall. Do a search.

 

[cat1994]

Oh thanks Ill do that

 

[Jajika]

Hi folks, I have to strongly disagree with you about the effectiveness of the solar lights.

Eight years ago I had my first racoon attack. It was devastating as you all know, of course.

I bought traps, locks etc.

I saw an add in my chicken magazine, what could it hurt.

Now I know this is going to sound like I work for them and I don't. I'm just a suburban back-yard chicken person in the San Francisco Bay Area. They are located in Minnesota.

I bought a couple of the lights and put them around the chicken yard. No lie, I have never had another racoon or night time predator since.

They work. Get them.

 

[cgmccary]

I've used the Nite Guard Lites in conjunction with my mutt dogs running around, and they have worked for me. You do have to strategically place them correctly about the perimeter. I have coyotes, bears, fox, bobcat, raccoons, opossums, hawks and owls (including GHO) all living in the forest around my home and barns. I haven't had any losses & mine free range during the day (chickens, guineas & geese). This could attributed simply to good luck or perhaps ONLY the lites or ONLY the dogs or a combination of both dogs & lites.

I also gave a few Nite Guard lites to a friend who was having coyotes running through his yard at night. He said he didn't know if they worked, but the coyotes weren't running through anymore.

Also, I think their effectiveness might depend upon where you live (and this is only a hunch): City predators are used to seeing lots of lights while country predators are not so the Nite Guard lites MAY work better in the country where it is dark and blinking red lights aren't common. The only evidence I have of this is that I used them in the city and I would occasionally have trouble with opossums which in the city, the lites did not deter (I once witnessed an opossum in the city walk up and sniff the Nite Guard lite).

In the country, the only oppossum that got near my place was killed by my dogs. This "country" opossum might have also not been deterred by the lite -- so it could just be an opossum thing.

 

[Jajika]

cgmmcary makes several good points. Placing the lights strategically is very important.

I never thought about light polution reducing the effectivness of the lights but it certainly makes sense.

I live in a suburban community and there are street lights. However, they don't spill over into my yard
and the lights blink away like crazy.

I witnessed a big ole raccoon in my yard one evening a month ago. It wandered all over but never once
approached the chicken yard.

As I said, I got the lights eight years ago and have not had one night time predator attack since.

 

[babalubird]

OK, those of you who haven't lost a chicken since using these lights, did you also have an snake problems and do the lights take care of the snakes too? I did not see that on their list of predators it would deter and that's a big problem with chicken tractors here too. We have big rat snakes.

Thanks.

 

[Jajika]

Hi babalubird:

Good question and no I don't have snakes.

I have not seen snakes listed as a predator that responds to the lights in their ads either.

It's a question for the NiteGuard people. I've had discussions with them. They are very responsive
to query and I don't believe they will mislead you.

Snakes, by the way, seem like a very different type of predator to deter. I've never
researched the topic. I think lots of us would be interested in hearing what
you find out?

Best,

 

[Lapetitechickens]

I plan on purchasing the Nite Guard lights also.

I also have worked with many snakes, breeding & working with others who breed them, and I doubt if the lights would work on snakes since they hunt by sensing the animals body heat. plus in order to see the red light, the Night Guard would have to be placed on the ground at the snakes level.

just my opinion.

 

[babalubird]

OK, Robin, apparently our resident snake expert,...what would you recommend adding to the light system on my portable chicken pens to deter the snakes? Thanks. Connie