# Chickens living off the grid



## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

Hi,
I had chickens for a while just to see what it would be like to raise them
and have some eggs. In the winter it was necessary to put a light in the
coupe to keep them laying in the winter. I have been using solar panels for
lights and stuff in the house. and I have been thinking about the light in the
winter for the chickens. For about $200 plus the cost of a battery I can have
light(s) all night in the coupe. (Or house) Not cost effective? When TSHTF
there may not be any electric or grid for quite some time. What will the
effectiveness be worth then? Do you like eggs for breakfast? 

The cost of solar panels have came way down in the last few years and
that $200 is for a high quality grade "A" 100 watt panel in a kit forum.
That is also way more watts than you need but you never know what 
you may end up using it for in a post SHTF world. Also panels vary in
price per watt and unless you go really big 100 watt is the best bang
for the buck. You can get a dusk to dawn switch to turn the lights
off and on for under $10. 

Off the grid prepper? when TSHTF we may all be "OFF" the grid.
This might be a good investment.


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## sparkyprep (Jul 5, 2013)

You are thinking like a prepper. Off the grid is always best. Our ultimate goal is to be 100% self-sufficient.


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## alterego (Jan 27, 2013)

Our Chickens Will Go In The Coop And Not Come Out For Weeks When The Weather Is Bad. I Believe You Would Want Windows In The Side And On The Roof First. Second Rig The Light So It Is Only On When It Is Dark Outside. Next And This Is The Big Thing. Incandescent Lights Put Off Heat Which Helps Keeps The Water From Freezing. Led Lights Would Be Fantastic For Consumption But Would Produce No Heat. This Past Winter Would Have Been Brutal Without A Little Heat.


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## RNprepper (Apr 5, 2014)

A couple of things - needing lights in winter might depend on where you live. I never use lights, and egg production will go to half in winter, but the hens lay for more years, I believe, than they would if they were forced to lay year round by artificial lighting. Just my opinion. 

The other part of true self sufficiency is coming up with a way to feed them without commercial feed. Again, this depends on where you live, how much you can irrigate, how much free range you can use, predators, etc. A lot of variables. I cannot afford to irrigate to grow feed, nor can I let them free range without supervision due to heavy predator load. My challenge is using some alternative food sources like mesquite bean flour, crickets from my cricket farm, and garden scraps (got lots in the winter, less in the summer.) It will be different for everyone depending on your resources, but the ultimate goal should be to feed them from your own. Please post your progress in this. I would love to hear how others feed their livestock "off grid", ie: "off the feed store."


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## SquirrelBait (Jun 6, 2014)

Make sure that you practice light discipline. Don't want to attract varmints...


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

We have kept chickens for over 20 years. We have never used artificial lighting in the coops. We don't fool with mother nature.
I'd be curious if 24 hour a day lighting disrupts the birds as much as I think it would.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

SquirrelBait said:


> Make sure that you practice light discipline. Don't want to attract varmints...


In our area the varmints do their work after dark.
In the woods out back we have a family of red fox, but they don't mess with the chickens. I have trapped and killed raccoons that have eaten two of my hens, they climbed the 6 foot chainlink and dug into one of my pens to get at them. I have seen coyote, and bobcat back there, smelled skunk (a chickens biggest foe), and sometimes have seen possum.
My next project is to install some solar powered motion detection lights if I can find some with adjustible sensitivity that don't cost an arm and a leg. Trip flares, if you will.:-D


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## alterego (Jan 27, 2013)

In The springs Summer And Fall Our Chickens Free range. If You Have Grass They Need Very Little. We Also Feed Steers Hay And Mixed Feed. So We Have Feed Around Most Would Not. My WiFes Father Would Say. In His Best Down Home Voice. "A Chicken Can Make A Fair Livin Behind A Cow"


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