The phrase “work smarter, not harder” would probably be the motivation behind this ingenious chicken coop design. Aptly called the Lazy Coop, the new chicken coop features a unique design that automates nearly all tasks that otherwise would need to be performed manually. These include letting out the chickens for some air every morning and providing them with food and water. Here’s how the Lazy Coop does it.
The major component of the Lazy Coop is the mountable solar panel that acts as the energy source for the motor that operates the coop. A 20W solar panel along with a 3A charger controller, an AC12V 16A time relay switch and a LCD digital programmable timer comprise the energy kit of the coop.
The solar panel is mounted onto a platform above the coop to draw in the sun’s power. The wiring from the solar panel leads to the charge controller that in turn operates a timer and a relay switch that opens the coop’s door. User can program the timer to open the door at regular intervals throughout the day, thus eliminating the need for one to do it manually. Of course, getting the chickens back into the coop is another story altogether.
The Lazy Coop also comes with an automated food and water feeding system. The coop provides both food and water with the help of rather simple gravity feed and water feeders inside the cage. Featuring plastic buckets tied on both sides, the coop also includes a PVC pipe attached to the bottom of each bucket.
The pipe attached to the feeder has holes to feed the chicken, while the pipe attached to the water feeder drains into two chicken drinker cups screwed into tiny holes in the PVC pipe. The cups come with a dispensing tap that allows water when pecked, thus preventing the mess.
The Lazy Coop is definitely the answer to your problems, if you are leaving town for a few days and not able to find anyone to babysit your chickens. It would also be the best choice for those who want to grow chickens without going through the hassles of chasing and feeding them.
Source: Imgur
