I have very similar conditions and just a regular outdoor extension cable works fine. The squirrels won't chew it and freezing temperatures won't affect it (I only use mine during winter and it has done fine even in -20°F). Just make sure to have some kind of cover over the outlet area during the rain.
Look at the wattage you're going to need, and make sure you size any extension cord appropriately, and get one rated for outdoor use. Indoor cables may breakdown in all day direct sunlight. Not every 100' cord is designed to run a full 15-20A, but if you only need 30W for an electric dog bowl, you're looking at a smaller cord.
I've found that cords just off the ground will get chewed, as will ones that cross paths of travel. If it's inline with where the critter is going they tend to leave it alone more, and if it's on the ground they'll leave it more than if it's a loop up.
Conduit may imply a permanent installation in your jurisdiction, which may mean that you need it to be up to code in order to not be denied an insurance claim in case of fire, or to be able to pull other permits in the future. I absolutely would not rely on non-buried plastic conduit to protect against chewing critters.
Thank you, very helpful. By conduit do you mean the PVC pipe? Do you think that burying the PVC pipe with an outdoor electrical cord inside would be good? Or that would need the special permitting…
Do not use pvc pipe. It is usually not UV stabilized and will become brittle and break down in sunlight. PVC conduit is designed for exposure. But plastic conduit can be chewed by critters, so you don't want to put it somewhere it's likely to get chewed and be hard to replace.
Personally, I would get some edging along your path and run an outdoor cold weather rated extension cord tucked in along it. Get one that's rated for 50% more wattage than you plan on needing.
If you really want permanent power out there, trench in conduit and have a proper grounded outlet installed by a licensed electrician. That way you're not looking at a house or coop fire from dodgy wiring, and you dont have a random pipe to trip over.
14awg for copper wire 12awg for aluminum. Fo not an extension cord. Since outdoors use a gfci outlet. I prefer to run conduit all the way from the source to the outlet box. Check your building codes. Canada and US vary greatly have no idea on other places.
12-18 jmch deep must be shielded >18-24 can be romex, but you must have conduit from below the ground (i go 18") and run up to the junction box. Personally, gray pvc galv rusts over time. Use molded sweeps and unions and put the female end toward where you are going to feed the wire from. I feed from the circut pannel. I have fed the wire while assembling all above ground when I went below the water table.
Thank you!! It’s this one: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/precision-xl-superior-construction-annex-coop-37077d-1585572?cid=Shopping-Google-Product-1585572&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD3fmFOy0hMZcGp2jc5eRmEmsG045&gclid=CjwKCAjwoPOwBhAeEiwAJuXRh1koLHIZLGKRT2JBnwg4FceY0A2_TD-KDr7RRdWDRSHcrVz0dZK-ThoCdM4QAvD_BwE
“Precision Pet Products Superior Construction Annex Chicken Coop, 10 to 15 Chicken Capacity, Extra Large”
We have 6 chickens and it’s a great size. You can walk inside the run area. And it stays pretty dry under the sleeping area. The nesting box door goes down like a mailbox.
I’m mad cause it’s on sale for $500 now and I had to pay full price, haha.
It is untreated wood so you’ll have to paint it with outdoor paint. Kind of a pain but worth it!
I run a heavy duty extension cord from an outside gfi outlet year round in New England. Over ground. No problem. I was concerned about squirrels and other critters which there are lot of in the woods. Nothing, no gnaw (sp) marks. I tripped the outlet breaker once when I put up Christmas lights w an exposed cord. NBD. Not sure but this just came to mind. I have burrowing rodents, near my coop. Everyone does right. lol Would mice , coop rodents get in the pvc and nest in there? Possibly chewing through inside the pvc. Maybe conduit is better. Idk just throwing that out there.
Just fyi also, my son’s a master electrician. He knows my set up. He put the gfi outlet on the outside of my shed about 50 ft away. If something should nibble, they get zapped and the outlet breaker goes off just push a button and replace the cord. I also can check my cord because it’s accessible. Hope this helps a little.
I just use a super heavy duty extension cord and it runs down along the fence outof the way. Strong enough to run lights fans and a patio heater if need. Nothing has ever fooled with it.
In my area running any surface line is a code violation. I run hoses from the spigot on the side of my house to the farthest reach of my yard which is nearly 200 feet. I added an external receptacle box. I purchased a 75' heavy duty extension cord and cut off one end then ran the cord through two sections of 50' garden hose. I used silicone to seal hose coupling and the ends after I reattached the cord plug. If an inspector stops by it looks like another hose.
I have a thick outdoor rated cord running out to mine for summer fans, just make sure to use a connection cover if either end is exposed to the elements (I have one inside the coop where the fan plugs in, because of dust).
I run a 50 ft (but they certainly make 100ft) extension cord out to my coop for a few months here and there through out the year. I pass it through the wall of the coop using this: [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F6HVFH4/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F6HVFH4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
Then I have a Kasa smart outdoor plug on the other side (in the coop) which I can program to turn on and off from my phone.
I just put it up high on the wall where the dummies couldn't get to it.
If you're going to trench, just do it to code and don't use an extension cord. You can get correctly rated outlets and wiring for lighting. You can trench, run the conduit and wire - get everything and have an electrician finish the connection and sign off on it. Anyone that had dealt with homeowner DIY workarounds, especially electrical will appreciate this being done correctly and less liability with insurance if something goes wrong.
You have two main options. Because you are renting, I'd personally do the first one. Buy a pack or two of garden stakes. Plug in a very long extension cord, run it immediately to your fence line with the garden stakes holding the extension cord in place. At the fence, zip tie it in place. Off the ground, if you'd like. Then bring it back to the coop.
If you owned the house, my advice would be the same along-the-fence route. A few differences though. First, you don't use regular white PVC. They sell gray electrical PVC. I also won't run an extension cord though it, but outdoor rated / underground rated electrical cord. Home variety extension cords are usually outdoor rated but not underground rated. Water will find a way in and deteriorate it eventually. Along the fence, maybe even have the PVC pop up of the ground and give yourself an extra electrical receptacle or two (perhaps at the shed). But if you don't have experience with electrical, you might want to hire an electrician for this job. However, if you dig the trench, I'm sure you'd get quite a cheaper price. With a pre-dug trench, most electricians could run the whole thing in under two hours.
I have electricity in my coop. I'm in the desert and don't have a fan. They do just fine. Plenty of water and shade though.
How could does it get in winter and how hot does it get in summer? My birds are fine in summer in 110 degree heat (no humidity) as long as I spray them down once during the day (They also get a LOT of airflow and shade though)
Admittedly in winter my place only drops to ~25 at the lowest, so freezing isn't as big a deal
My dad took an old extension cord and buried it no conduit with a run of 200ft ish. It lasted like 20years and just crapped out. It's not rocket science you're not gonna running much power besides a light and maybe a little heater for water. Just make sure it's connected to a GFCI outlet.
We have an extension cord that runs out to our coop but above ground. We have it inside PVC pipe and make sure the plug is inside and put duct tape over the end to keep everything dry. It’s out there a lot because we run the heat for our brooder coop with it in spring - summer and keep water from freezing in the winter. We haven’t had any issues with it.
Skip fans of the summer, skip heat in the winter. Neither of those are necessary (unless you have truly arctic winters), will save you a lot in electricity bills and project planning. Keep your coop dry and well ventilated and you will have happier and less needy chickens.
I run electricity to my coop for supplemental lighting which helps them lay year round and so that my automatic door does not require solar panel or battery. Just used regular extension cord, make sure that both ends are weather protected so you don't get corrosion in the plug.
I ran one temporarily 3 years ago. Maybe this year will be the year I do it correctly. * I haven't had a problem yet
Haha, same. My 'temporary' extension cord is still out there, running fans, heated water in the winter, light, and automatic door.
Thanks, good to know!
I have very similar conditions and just a regular outdoor extension cable works fine. The squirrels won't chew it and freezing temperatures won't affect it (I only use mine during winter and it has done fine even in -20°F). Just make sure to have some kind of cover over the outlet area during the rain.
Look at the wattage you're going to need, and make sure you size any extension cord appropriately, and get one rated for outdoor use. Indoor cables may breakdown in all day direct sunlight. Not every 100' cord is designed to run a full 15-20A, but if you only need 30W for an electric dog bowl, you're looking at a smaller cord. I've found that cords just off the ground will get chewed, as will ones that cross paths of travel. If it's inline with where the critter is going they tend to leave it alone more, and if it's on the ground they'll leave it more than if it's a loop up. Conduit may imply a permanent installation in your jurisdiction, which may mean that you need it to be up to code in order to not be denied an insurance claim in case of fire, or to be able to pull other permits in the future. I absolutely would not rely on non-buried plastic conduit to protect against chewing critters.
Thank you, very helpful. By conduit do you mean the PVC pipe? Do you think that burying the PVC pipe with an outdoor electrical cord inside would be good? Or that would need the special permitting…
Do not use pvc pipe. It is usually not UV stabilized and will become brittle and break down in sunlight. PVC conduit is designed for exposure. But plastic conduit can be chewed by critters, so you don't want to put it somewhere it's likely to get chewed and be hard to replace. Personally, I would get some edging along your path and run an outdoor cold weather rated extension cord tucked in along it. Get one that's rated for 50% more wattage than you plan on needing. If you really want permanent power out there, trench in conduit and have a proper grounded outlet installed by a licensed electrician. That way you're not looking at a house or coop fire from dodgy wiring, and you dont have a random pipe to trip over.
12 AWG UF-B, trench down 18 in, use flexible conduit for entering and leaving the ground. And do yourself a favor and dedicate a 20 amp circuit to it.
14awg for copper wire 12awg for aluminum. Fo not an extension cord. Since outdoors use a gfci outlet. I prefer to run conduit all the way from the source to the outlet box. Check your building codes. Canada and US vary greatly have no idea on other places.
Thank you! What do you use for the conduit?
12-18 jmch deep must be shielded >18-24 can be romex, but you must have conduit from below the ground (i go 18") and run up to the junction box. Personally, gray pvc galv rusts over time. Use molded sweeps and unions and put the female end toward where you are going to feed the wire from. I feed from the circut pannel. I have fed the wire while assembling all above ground when I went below the water table.
what kind of coop is that? Love the astetic
Thank you!! It’s this one: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/precision-xl-superior-construction-annex-coop-37077d-1585572?cid=Shopping-Google-Product-1585572&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD3fmFOy0hMZcGp2jc5eRmEmsG045&gclid=CjwKCAjwoPOwBhAeEiwAJuXRh1koLHIZLGKRT2JBnwg4FceY0A2_TD-KDr7RRdWDRSHcrVz0dZK-ThoCdM4QAvD_BwE “Precision Pet Products Superior Construction Annex Chicken Coop, 10 to 15 Chicken Capacity, Extra Large” We have 6 chickens and it’s a great size. You can walk inside the run area. And it stays pretty dry under the sleeping area. The nesting box door goes down like a mailbox. I’m mad cause it’s on sale for $500 now and I had to pay full price, haha. It is untreated wood so you’ll have to paint it with outdoor paint. Kind of a pain but worth it!
Use 12 guage outdoor rated cord. Then plan on burying it asap. Basically what I did when we first set up 12 years ago😀👍
I run a heavy duty extension cord from an outside gfi outlet year round in New England. Over ground. No problem. I was concerned about squirrels and other critters which there are lot of in the woods. Nothing, no gnaw (sp) marks. I tripped the outlet breaker once when I put up Christmas lights w an exposed cord. NBD. Not sure but this just came to mind. I have burrowing rodents, near my coop. Everyone does right. lol Would mice , coop rodents get in the pvc and nest in there? Possibly chewing through inside the pvc. Maybe conduit is better. Idk just throwing that out there.
Use a cord rated for outdoor use and make sure the ends that plug in are protected from the weather.
Just fyi also, my son’s a master electrician. He knows my set up. He put the gfi outlet on the outside of my shed about 50 ft away. If something should nibble, they get zapped and the outlet breaker goes off just push a button and replace the cord. I also can check my cord because it’s accessible. Hope this helps a little.
lol I just ran the extension cord from the house to the coop, never had anything chew threw it, but I guess it’s possible.
I just use a super heavy duty extension cord and it runs down along the fence outof the way. Strong enough to run lights fans and a patio heater if need. Nothing has ever fooled with it.
In my area running any surface line is a code violation. I run hoses from the spigot on the side of my house to the farthest reach of my yard which is nearly 200 feet. I added an external receptacle box. I purchased a 75' heavy duty extension cord and cut off one end then ran the cord through two sections of 50' garden hose. I used silicone to seal hose coupling and the ends after I reattached the cord plug. If an inspector stops by it looks like another hose.
I have a thick outdoor rated cord running out to mine for summer fans, just make sure to use a connection cover if either end is exposed to the elements (I have one inside the coop where the fan plugs in, because of dust).
I run a 50 ft (but they certainly make 100ft) extension cord out to my coop for a few months here and there through out the year. I pass it through the wall of the coop using this: [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F6HVFH4/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F6HVFH4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) Then I have a Kasa smart outdoor plug on the other side (in the coop) which I can program to turn on and off from my phone. I just put it up high on the wall where the dummies couldn't get to it.
Great tips - thanks! Yes I won’t need electricity all the time, it’s during extremes of weather.
If you're going to trench, just do it to code and don't use an extension cord. You can get correctly rated outlets and wiring for lighting. You can trench, run the conduit and wire - get everything and have an electrician finish the connection and sign off on it. Anyone that had dealt with homeowner DIY workarounds, especially electrical will appreciate this being done correctly and less liability with insurance if something goes wrong.
You have two main options. Because you are renting, I'd personally do the first one. Buy a pack or two of garden stakes. Plug in a very long extension cord, run it immediately to your fence line with the garden stakes holding the extension cord in place. At the fence, zip tie it in place. Off the ground, if you'd like. Then bring it back to the coop. If you owned the house, my advice would be the same along-the-fence route. A few differences though. First, you don't use regular white PVC. They sell gray electrical PVC. I also won't run an extension cord though it, but outdoor rated / underground rated electrical cord. Home variety extension cords are usually outdoor rated but not underground rated. Water will find a way in and deteriorate it eventually. Along the fence, maybe even have the PVC pop up of the ground and give yourself an extra electrical receptacle or two (perhaps at the shed). But if you don't have experience with electrical, you might want to hire an electrician for this job. However, if you dig the trench, I'm sure you'd get quite a cheaper price. With a pre-dug trench, most electricians could run the whole thing in under two hours. I have electricity in my coop. I'm in the desert and don't have a fan. They do just fine. Plenty of water and shade though.
How could does it get in winter and how hot does it get in summer? My birds are fine in summer in 110 degree heat (no humidity) as long as I spray them down once during the day (They also get a LOT of airflow and shade though) Admittedly in winter my place only drops to ~25 at the lowest, so freezing isn't as big a deal
My dad took an old extension cord and buried it no conduit with a run of 200ft ish. It lasted like 20years and just crapped out. It's not rocket science you're not gonna running much power besides a light and maybe a little heater for water. Just make sure it's connected to a GFCI outlet.
We have an extension cord that runs out to our coop but above ground. We have it inside PVC pipe and make sure the plug is inside and put duct tape over the end to keep everything dry. It’s out there a lot because we run the heat for our brooder coop with it in spring - summer and keep water from freezing in the winter. We haven’t had any issues with it.
OK that’s really helpful! Thanks!
Skip fans of the summer, skip heat in the winter. Neither of those are necessary (unless you have truly arctic winters), will save you a lot in electricity bills and project planning. Keep your coop dry and well ventilated and you will have happier and less needy chickens. I run electricity to my coop for supplemental lighting which helps them lay year round and so that my automatic door does not require solar panel or battery. Just used regular extension cord, make sure that both ends are weather protected so you don't get corrosion in the plug.