It's Almost Time Here in Central Oregon....

[iwiw60]

The 6-mil clear plastic sheeting should arrive any day now, and our night temps are getting down around low 40's. I think it's time for me to make yet another trip to Ace Hardware and pick up a ton of furring strips (I think that's what they're called) for tacking the sheeting up to the run for the winter.

In the meantime, today I'm installing all the electrical doo-dads in the coop and run for adding the little water heaters to the waterers both in the coop and run. You know how when you buy extension cords, etc., and they're wrapped up tighter than a drum in the packaging? I'm going to lay them all in the sun today and let them "nimble up" so it's easier to thread them through the eaves, etc.

Something else I hadn't thought about until the days started getting shorter and shorter I realized that in the morning it's still pitch black outside and I can't see to get there! Does anyone else have/had that problem and was a solar light sufficient?????

 

[jtn42248]

Something else I hadn't thought about until the days started getting shorter and shorter I realized that in the morning it's still pitch black outside and I can't see to get there! Does anyone else have/had that problem and was a solar light sufficient?????

I looked at the pictures of your coop and run that you have online and I am envious. Mine is a coop and run that has been a coop and run for over 50 years. Works and the girls like it but it is certainly not photo worthy.

Anyway, I have tried solar (not really bright enough...very spotty coverage). Tried flashlights but you have to carry them and put them down etc. a real nuisance when you are trying to work. One thing that really seemed to work for me was those sort of miners lights...LED head bands...they direct the light where you are looking and your hands are free but everything around you is dark and when everything might include predators...well that won't/didn't work. What we did was finally bite the bullet and have a professional wire everything for lights that we can turn on or off from the house and/or the barns/coops and runs. We did cut the cost a bit by working a deal with our Electric Co-op for them to install a security light on a 60 food pole since we are right against a US highway. Then all we had to pay for was wiring from that pole to our barns. The security light comes on and goes of on its own based on ambient daylight which I was afraid was going to be a problem. But, it turns out that it is like having a full moon every night.

Sure you don't need to be cautioned about extension cords and chicken coops but please do be careful and make sure they are all out of reach of your birds. The last thing any one of us needs is a coop fire during the winter that could have been avoided.

Keep warm.

 

[iwiw60]

See, that's what I'm thinking, too...those solar light things just won't put out enough light. I have to tarp off the upper half of my screen porch because of all the blowing snow during the winter which cuts off the light I get from the porch out to where I want to get to...aaack!

Oh yes, I'm being real careful on the extension cord thing for sure. All lines are "clipped" up and out of the way against the walls and I do not use a heat lamp during the winter either...too much risk. I do have a 25-watt lightbulb thing securely attached to a rafter in the coop that has an on/off switch...I only turn that on if I have to see better when I'm in there, and ALWAYS turn it off when I leave.

I'll have to put my thinking cap on on just what to do for light outside when it's dark. Thanks for replying!!

 

[aart]

Can you install (or have someone install) a light on the outer wall of the porch? If there's already power on the porch it probably do-able.

I don't think I could live without my head light, especially in winter, been using one since camping a lot in my younger years.

 

[iwiw60]

Can you install (or have someone install) a light on the outer wall of the porch? If there's already power on the porch it probably do-able.

I don't think I could live without my head light, especially in winter, been using one since camping a lot in my younger years.

See, my problem @aart is that I live (full-time) in my RV....a big RV (two sliders, 36' long), but still a travel trailer in the sense of the word. Yes, I have 'electric' via the porch light that is on the RV where the screen porch is, but as for wiring "off of" the RV to other spots....no-can-do. SO! Back to the 'ol drawing board,eh?!!!