The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

. I now have a sensor light on the outside. When it comes on, the dogs bark, I'm hoping it's enough to keep predators away.

Sue - I've been shopping for SOLAR motion detector lights for probably more than 6 months off and on. I was hoping to find one that I could put outside the coop to detect motion and perhaps scare away a predator from the light suddenly coming on.

-Have you had your sensor light long?
-Do you think it's working to scare predators?
-What size bulb or brightness do you use?

I was just shopping for some last night and was looking at these: http://www.outdoorsolarstore.com/watchdog-solar-security-light.aspx

They seem to be the "brightest" I can find without spending a huge amount of money. But even these aren't very bright. Not sure it will accomplish what I'd like or not so I keep putting off buying.

 

[delisha]

"sigh". This used to be a thread where when opinions are asked for you could freely give them. I knew I should have pretended to be someone else. No comments from me. sue

Sue..
your opinion is valued, as well as every one else. Do not take any ones words personally. Everyone is different. Sometimes words on a flat surface do not contain a smile when a smile is intended. I can come off as rude and quite mean. (I am.... but I usually hide it so much better in person

)

 

[MEMama3]

Sue..
your opinion is valued, as well as every one else. Do not take any ones words personally. Everyone is different. Sometimes words on a flat surface do not contain a smile when a smile is intended. I can come off as rude and quite mean. (I am.... but I usually hide it so much better in person )

Totally agree!

 

[Sally8]

No offense taken, but a few posts back someone else quit our thread. (I have no idea why). Regardless of what others think, I do what works for me. Electricity is dangerous in coops but I'm not doing chores every night with a flashlight. I'm not retired yet. I never used a light for egg production. It's a crime how many I feed back to my chickens. The key is that I do what works for me and nothing changes that.
The sensor light......I'll have to check what it is tomorrow. Most everyone around me have lost their entire flocks to something(s) as the bear have gotten in garbage cans all around me. Not sure that it's the light but it's staying. lol

There was only one thread where I felt someone was openly mean and it's not here.

 

[Eggcessive]

I just want to reassure that I have no intentions of leaving lights on 24hrs as was mentioned by two replies now. I am not raising my birds anyway similar to commercial operations. My question was if I were to add light (no more than three hours in the dead of winter and considerably less in fall and spring), can I do it in the evening instead of the morning. I understand the point of view of people who are against light in the winter and I respect that view, so please respect my point of view and don't compare me to an inhumane commercial operation.

I use extra light in the winter for my birds because I sell eggs to my local co-op farm store, and I need a certain amount each week. Mine come on at 5 AM and go off at 6 PM. My chickens get on their roosts to go to bed when it is dark outside. I don't like to leave it on too much later than dark because I do leave the food out for them so they will have it first thing in the morning, and I don't want anyone out eating food when the lights go out, not being able to get up on roosts. I don't think it would hurt to leave it on later instead of earlier.

 

[delisha]

Quote: I have motion detector lights..not solar
They have been on the coops for a long time and it is for me to get out there if i am home late. i have electricity in all of my coops.
My yard sensors are big lights. Huge things. I have no idea what they are. They rarely go on and last years. I do not remember the last time I changed a bulb. The spare bulbs have an inch of dust on them and the cardboard that contains them is no longer legible.

 

[Sally8]

We wouldn't be able to use solar lights here as we don't get enough sun in the winter. I have solar lights along the front of the house for decoration and most nights in the winter they don't come on. We live in a deep, narrow gully.

 

[MEMama3]

I came up with a cool idea. My run is a lattice hoop. I used solar lights (the stake ones with the stakes removed) along the top. I just stuck them in the lattice spaces. I'm not sure if it will deter predators, but it makes me feel better.

 

[Kassaundra]

The question about broodies and hawks, we had a broody that lost all of her chicks to hawk, even w/ my roo Oreo getting his pound of hawk flesh (a bloody hawk feather). It just took the one time for us, we have a covered run specifially for broody moms and chicks.

 

[AletaG]

Kudos to my husband, who just covered over a third of our run area in 8" of cedar/fir chippings from a local tree trimmer. More to come... and 4 4'x4' frames of treated lumber and fencing have been seeded with "green mulch:" seed mix for the chickens to eat as the plants grow up through. Experiment with Oats as sprouts isn't going so well. They just grow too darn slow. Next run to the feed store will try barley or rye.. Anyone on here doing 'sprout mats' for feed? Thought this was the thread that gave me the idea, but now I can't find the posts...