Anyone use a baby monitor?

[gabby3535]

Just wondering.......does anyone use a baby monitor in their coop? You know, just to keep an ear out for
trouble??? (Predators, etc)
If so, how does it work for you. and which brand/type do you use, please?

 

[Sylvie]

I use a Fisher Price monitor that I got cheap at a yard sale. It only relays sound, not video, but for $3 I'm thrilled.
I had it in the brooder and it moved out to the coop with them. I lock them in securely at night but I have heard coyotes right outside the coop through the monitor. Immediately took my dog out to investigate and she verified that at least 2 had been smelling around the foundation.

Now I listen to them instead of a radio because I enjoy their chatter; it is so pleasant. I can see the run from my window and hear them as if they were right under it. It picks up both the coop and the run. I have it on all night, of course, and it does not interfere with my sleep.

They are close to laying so I am listening for that, too.
I totally love my monitor!

 

[speckledhen]

I have one in the main coop and my DH just found a Radio Shack room monitor at a yard sale for $1, so I put it in the other coop.

 

[justusnak]

Absolutely....I love my monitor. My coops faces the house...but, is a little ways from here. ( about 200 ft) I have one monitor...with 3 recievers in the house. One for the kitchen...one for the family room..and one for the bedroom. All 3 pickup from the one in the coop. I love it. I have a radio in the coop as well...so when the chickens are quiet..I hear the music. LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

 

[CityChook]

I took a lot of hooey from my DH for putting our old baby monitor in the coop ("being a little obsessive, are we?") but we have really enjoyed listening to the girls. It's on 24/7. They bok bok at each other and sing while laying. The best is listening to them snore at night. My kids giggle at the silly hens. My coop is about 75 feet from the house and out of sight, so it makes me sleep better knowing that if there was a problem that I'd hear it. It's just an OLD (like over 10 years - with thousands of hours of logged use) fisher price baby monitor, but it transmits just fine.

 

[nerfy]

Thanks to all for the input. I have been thinking about getting one for my coop also. I'm sure I'll get a few comments from my Dh as well.

 

[melalthia]

My child's preschool has chickens and goats. Its pretty cool because every day the kids sign up on a board for particular jobs (feeding the chickens, watering the goats, etc.)

My kid was sick last week and didn't go, which was lucky because a raccoon managed to get a paw through her fencing and decimate 4 of the pullets. It was a couple of 3 and 5 year olds who found the carnage.

The owner of the school just got a few more pullets this week, fixed the fencing and put a baby monitor in there. She swears by it now!

 

[Chicken Woman]

My Dh aready thinks IM way crazy about "my girls". I would do it but he would have a fit if I put it in the bedroom !!!

 

[PassthePeace1]

What a great ideal! Now, I have to have one....lol. Thanks for starting this thread.

 

[Sylvie]

I should have mentioned that mine has a portable receiver that can either run on batteries or plug in and will clip to my waistband.