Solar lights for coop?

[Oblio13]

Saw some solar lawn lights on spikes - you stick them in the ground, and supposedly they'll stay lit most of the night. It looked to me like you could cut round holes in the roof of a coop and drop them in, with the spike part removed. In other words, the solar panel part of the light would be on the roof, and the LED light part would be inside.

Anyone tried this? Might be a good way to keep the girls laying in the winter.

 

[ChickenToes]

I have a solar light that shines on the outside of the coop at night, that way if any critters try to get in we can get a good look at it. The set we bought has a small solar panel and came with 3 floodlights that you could stake in the ground or mount onto brackets. We only use one of the lights instead of all 3. It stays on all night, and has a darkness sensor so it comes on and shuts off automatically.

I've never tried to use it to keep hens laying, but I don't see why it wouldn't work.

 

[countrygirl4513]

I use them. But it is only a very dim light, I wouldn't say it has helped mine in their laying. But it gives them a little night light for security etc.

 

[FloridaChickenChick]

We use these on our gatepost. They are not very bright (and by dawn they are barely visible), but they do help us find the house at night. We also have them out back by the pool to identify the edge of the deck.

I would suggest them for anyone, as long as you're not expecting them to provide great light for detail work. There is no reason they wouldn't work with the base off...just make sure the solar collection point is exposed to the sun. I really like your idea!

 

[LynneP]

You can get these things in many styles, too. I have an angel lawn ornament that lights up at night and I have it positioned on a platform just inside the northwest window of the coop where it gets late-day light. It's often glowing in the mornings. Of course it gets decorated with droppings! I think it's a great idea if you can position the light catcher in a good spot and the device out of poop range. There are some styles that have a longish wire between the catcher and the bulb/battery.

In winter we plan to add rope lights (LED, low energy) for overnight security and then set up a timer for a brighter light at 4 am to promote laying.

 

[dirtybug]

I know the exact light your talking about, My parents recieved some as a gift and while they arent very bright I am considering taking a few and cutting holes in the roof of my work van to get some more light in it. it will work but little or no light will reach the ground, They mostly just give a point of light to look at not actualy illuminate anything.

 

[flip9109]

harbor frieght tools has ones that com with a wall mount bracket that i use. i have them mounted about 2 ft from the ground all around my run which has the coop inside it. they light about 3ft circle enuf to light the ground in the whole pen well enuf to see. they are around $5 each.