Hi, folks. Have a dilemma because daylight savings is ending this weekend and I’m going to be getting home after dark starting on Monday. I’m down to only three hens and Bridge is on a separate side of the run most of the time by herself because Flo is a jerk (bully)  and Roxy prefers hanging out with Flo over Bridge. Sometimes I make Roxy hang out with Bridge anyway. 

So I put in a little wooden doghouse for Bridge so she has a little shelter until I get home from work. I also installed string lights that turn on at dusk. And in case of a power outage, I already installed a bunch of rechargeable undercabinet lights that are motion activated.
The lights are to deter rats. We have a huge problem on the mountain where I live. We have a problem, my neighbors have problems, and apparently they even are having problems in town down the hill. And the little town is a really swanky, wealthy little town. It’s like the rat population has exploded everywhere.
Anyway, I’m pretty sure the rats are living under the main coop on the other side of the run. So I’m doing my best to fully rat proof in between the two sides of the run so they aren’t running around with Bridge since her little house is at ground level. (She is a disabled, elderly hen and I love her SO much!)
Anyway, I’m so pleased with these little lights. I thought I’d show a couple photos here. I highly recommend them. I used gel gorilla superglue to adhere the metal strips to wood. The lights themselves are magnetic. They’re meant for indoors, but I don’t have them anywhere that’s really exposed to rain or sun. And it doesn’t typically freeze here. We really only have frost a few times a year.
Here is one light inside a gate frame:
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Here is one just over the main coop door:
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Here is Bridge’s side of the run lit up with the string lights:
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And here is the original/main run lit up:
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Nobody sleeps in the little red coop. They like to hang out under it and I’ll probably use it next time I integrate chicks, but it mostly just sits there.
I also ordered a little motion sensor light that has adustable lighting for inside the little dog house/chicken house. I’ll mount it the same way with gorilla glue and a magnetic strip.