Small 12 volt system wiring help

[Joe the plumber]

Hello all. I have a small 12 volt system i'm setting up in my chicken coop. I have one 20W panel (Maximum Power (Pmax): 20W
Voltage at Pmax (Vmp) 17.4V, Current at Pmax (Imp) 1.15A
Open Circuit Voltage (Voc): 21.6V, Short Circuit Current (Isc): 1.27A
Weight 5.51 lbs, Size: 24.21" x 11.22" x 1") and two 12 volt 7 AH batteries. I also have a GSM CYC-SOLC10A 10 AMP Solar Charge Controller. I will be using this setup to operate a chicken coop door opener and possibly 12 volt lights. I also have a Amico DC 12V Digital LCD Power Programmable Timer Time Switch Relay 16A Amps to operate the coop door opener and may get another for the lights in the future. I was going to run the batteries parallel. So my questions are: from panel to charge controller do I need to fuse it and/or install ground rod? Also charge controller just has a "to battery" and a "to solar panel" connections. Do I need to run a fuse from the "to battery" connection? And will the panel charge both batteries in parallel? And last is the way I was going to hook it up was panel to charge controller, charge controller to battery, battery to timer, timer to coop door opener. Does this sound correct? Thanks for any help.

[Sunking]

So my questions are: from panel to charge controller do I need to fuse it and/or install ground rod?

No not required in this application

Also charge controller just has a "to battery" and a "to solar panel" connections. Do I need to run a fuse from the "to battery" connection?

You will need 4 fuses if you do not ground reference the system.

2 on each polarity between CC and battery
2 on each polarity between battery and load.

And will the panel charge both batteries in parallel?

Yes