This solar powered chicken water heater and light project is simple in design and let’s the sun create energy for you.

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Chickens will lay according to environmental factors, even in a coop. Shorter days and cooler temperatures can result in less egg laying while the chickens store up energy in their cells for a winter.

Autumn is also a time for molting. If your hens are molting, it’s likely they will have reduced laying capacity too.

Materials List:

Solar Panels

Inverter

Deep cycle battery

Outlet timers

Extension cords

But hens in coops don’t need to fear winter hunger so you can add a water heater and light to help encourage continued laying. The day length should be extended before and after sunlight times in winter to equal the summers that hens have been exposed and accustomed to. With some solar panels and timers, a DIY coop light and heater are easy to install.

A timer with a two socket attachment will work for both a water heater and the light. A metal box like a lunch box is necessary to hold a light socket and bulb for the heater. Solar panels need to be attached to a charge controller, a battery to store the power and an inverter, needed for any solar application.

Assembling the power production line is simple but you should check to ensure there are no fire hazards since the water supply is going to need to rest on the metal box heater.

Set the timer for when you’d like to begin and end the hens’ day and you should be able to sufficiently mimic a year long summer. With the right setup, you will have eggs for home and family all year round.

Click here to read about solar powered chicken water heater and light project:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Off-Grid-Chicken-Water-Heater-and-Light/?ALLSTEPS

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