# Soar Powered Chicken Coop



## Straw_Cat (Feb 15, 2013)

I saw this Solar Powered Chicken Coop on a web page earlier tonight and though it might interest a few people, if it hasn't already been discussed.

http://voltaicsystems.com/blog/solar-powered-chicken-coop/

The solar panel is linked to a credit card sized BeagleBone computer ($89) which in turn drives a servo to open and close the coop's door.

http://beagleboard.org/Products/BeagleBone

Using a computer like this for that simple task is a bit over the top, and much like using the biggest mallet or sledge hammer you can find to squash a mosquito, but what the hey...

One could probably use the computer to do other things as well, like top up the water dish, turn on and off a light in the coop, or whatever. I haven't checked to see what capabilities this little device has, so I don't know it's full capabilities- but it must be better than my old 386 computer... 

Cheers,

Chris.


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## hildar (Oct 3, 2013)

Shoot if I had something like that I wouldn't have to leave the house. Might as well have it collect the eggs to. Sounds kind of off the wall, and makes having backyard chickens not so much fun.


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## Jabberwocky (Oct 7, 2013)

I would use it more for lighting the coop. When Arkansas has a bad winter as it did this last year, perhaps a small heater. As for opening and shutting the coop door. It makes for a nice gimmick. Not much more than that, in my opinion.


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## Straw_Cat (Feb 15, 2013)

Well, it is a bit of a gimmick, yeah, that 99.9999% of us don't have any real need for, but it is also one way for the website owner to advertise the solar power stuff he deals with.

But it also show that there could be some applications for tiny solar-powered micro-computers around the homestead.

There's one project to build something like this to allow beekeepers to monitor their hives on line, and to network the data with other beekeepers, locally, regionally, and beyond.

http://www.opensourcebeehives.net/

I have no idea how this one's going to turn out in the end, but it is a popular project that received way more crowdfundinmoney g than they'd asked for on Indiegogo.

Cheers,

Chris Green.


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