Winter lighting suggestions

[TC chicken]

I'm looking to get a solar light with timer for my chickens. Is there a brand or system that works best? Right now I'm running an extension cord out to their hen house with a timer. Also is it best to run the additional light in the morning or evening to keep them laying or doesn't it matter?
Thanks

 

[JackE]

I don't know of any solar powered lights myself. Although I'm sure there is something out there. But, if you are going to run lights, have them come on in the morning. You don't want the birds suddenly plunged into darkness, at night, before they get to the roost. They would not like that very much.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I don't know of any solar powered lights myself. Although I'm sure there is something out there. But, if you are going to run lights, have them come on in the morning. You don't want the birds suddenly plunged into darkness, at night, before they get to the roost. They would not like that very much.

X 2
Regarding the solar - unfortunately there is not going to be a "ready to use/self-contained" solar light option that would be sufficient for what you are looking to use it for --- a solar option like you are wanting would involve setting up a solar system of batteries, converters, etc (think homesteaders/off-gridders, just on a smaller scale than needed to power a household)that ties into a light that is programmed to run off of it.

 

[TC chicken]

Thanks
There are solar lights on Amazon with timers but they mostly are motion activated or are just solar lights without timers that aren't motion activated.

I could use the solar light without timer but they would come on at dark instead of in the morning.

 

[aart]

Thanks
There are solar lights on Amazon with timers but they mostly are motion activated or are just solar lights without timers that aren't motion activated.

I could use the solar light without timer but they would come on at dark instead of in the morning.

Motion activated is not the same as a timer.
You need a timer to program when the lights come on and when they go off to control the amount of light each day.
Timer needs to be adjusted with the changing natural daylight shifts.
Here's a pretty good article on supplemental lighting.

 

[TC chicken]

Maybe I worded that wrong or made it confusing.
The light systems either have a timer and are motion sensored or they or they don't have a timer at all. I want them to come on and stay on for sure.
I'll check out the article.
Thanks

 

[RubyQue]

Does anyone have a fade to Sunrise lighting system on a timer and if so what is it and where did you get it? Thank you for all your input.

 

[Rickovo]

I wanted a 12 volt timer for a pop hole system a couple of years ago and ended up ordering one on amazon. They are not generally available outside China (where mine was made and shipped from) Not wanting to give anyone ideas I wont speculate why! It was cheap.
The other way is with a mains timer and a relay - very simple to wire up but you would need to put it in a suitably insulating box to make it safe.
Just out of interest - On mains alone I tried 4 cheap timers with a bulb on each and got a reasonable fade in and fade out at both ends of the day. The last/first bulb was small enough that they would go to roost but had enough light to see their way.

 

[RubyQue]

I want a timer that can be hooked up to 110 volt I do have LED lights on it but I would like them to fade in and out for sunrise/sunset it's difficult to find a timer that fades. They do make them for fish tanks but they are DC not 110v.

 

[Urlec]

Maybe I worded that wrong or made it confusing.
The light systems either have a timer and are motion sensored or they or they don't have a timer at all. I want them to come on and stay on for sure.
I'll check out the article.
Thanks

I have never found a solar option with a timer on them. Many have Photo cell switches that turn on at dusk and off at dawn independent of or combined with motion detection. I just ran a 300 ft line underground and replaced my hardwired light switch with a hardwired timer unit.