February 14th
Trying to get all the details worked out for when the coop arrives.
One thing I wanted was a thermometer in the coop. By panning the coop cam I could see both doors, roosting area and see what the temperature is.
Found a electronic one with hi-low, indoor and outdoor temp with LARGE LCD numbers for $25 at China-Mart. I bought it. Indoor temp would be the temperature of the coop and I would put the outside temp sensor...outside! Then I would know how much warmer the coop is compare with the outside temp.
Got home, ripped the box open and installed batteries. Reading the instructions I learn that the inside temp only registers down to 40 degrees! BUMMER! And when the coop cam is in night mode you can't read the LCD display. DOUBLE BUMMER.
Plan B.
I went to the local small town hardware store. Hanging all the top of the wall covered in years of dust is about a dozen circular thermometers. One has a cartoon picture of an owl. Clerk gets a ladder and brings it down. Made in 1998, $15 AND made in the USA!
When I get home tonight I'll put the thermometer beside my automatic chicken door. Hope the coop cam will be able to read it tonight.
Coop cam can be seen at:
http://66.249.232.196 Username: visitor, password: coop (works with FireFox browser, IE if Active-X is enabled).