Almost burnt down the chicken house.

[DonnaBelle]

I am writing this to rant about my darling husband who is really smart, a retired building contractor, who re-hung a heat lamp this morning in the chicken house. HE LOOPED AN EXTENSION CORD OVER A NAIL.

I didn't go down with him this am. Normally I am around if something is being done in the hen house, but this am I was making stew.

Long story short, the heat lamp slipped, landed on the plastic waterer. Made a hole in the waterer. The water drained out, and prevented the chicken house from burning down. All my 40 chickens were inside too.

There was a hole burned into the wood floor, thru the shavings. THE ONLY REASON THE WHOLE THING DIDN'T BURN DOWN WAS THAT THE WATERER LEAKED BESIDE THE BURNT SHAVINGS/HOLE IN THE FLOOR.

I can't begin to tell you guys how stupid I feel for not being down there when he set up that fiasco. He is an incredibly intelligent person, why would he do that??

OK, I'm done, better rant and rave here than at him. He does feel bad I'm sure.

DonnaBelle

 

[wasatusay]

Glad nothing really bad happen! I would not be too hard on him, that is why they call these things accidents. I am sure he has learned a valuable lesson from this. I find when it comes to my animals and chickens that my DH becomes complacent about a lot of things. That is why I am the caregiver and overseer of everything to do with my animals and chickens. Not that mine does not mean well but it is not something that is at the top of his list of things to think of.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

I'd be ranting too!! there was that thread where that womans coop DID burn and I have been SO VERY careful of things like that since then!!! I could not imagine losing them all!! Glad nothing much was damaged!!

 

[Cetawin]

Plant hanging hooks are so cheap and easy to install. I understand not ranting at him but you are a better woman than I....I would have ranted and had a hissy fit...

 

[usschicago1]

well no more heat lamp for you guys!

 

[Serrin]

Whew! That was too close for comfort! Having lost an entire home to fire, it's not an experience I ever want to repeat...especially if the house in question is that of my girls!

 

[cluckcluck42]

Wow, what a close one, huh? I'm sure your hubby feels horrible. Sometimes people just have massive brain farts. Massive, massive brain farts.

 

[farmchix]

Glad this story had no chicken casualties. Thanks for relaying it, as I now will not be making this mistake.... going to use clip hooks, not near the waterer, and thank God I have a GFIC outlet.

 

[goldenluver]

be careful of plant hanger hooks too. I had left mine just hanging in there when not in use, it's a good thing that I always look in the coop to check the girls befor I close up for the night. One of my girls had fallen off the perch ( or pushed ) and got caught by the hook under her beak and through her neck, by the time I had found her she had already gone limp. She made a full recovery though.

 

[steelersfan43]

wow, thats incredible that your hen was ok. I bet that was awful to find that.