Step by step - Chicken Coop Winterization Project. -with pictures!

[Steadfast]

Quote:
I see a poll in your future. How bout a fox, he could be guarding the hen house...

WOW... Too cool!
I love it!

Now to choose an image i can use as a Silhouette and cut THROUGH 1inch wood using a drill and a jigsaw:
(think: fox carved into a pumpkin)

This is my wife's favorite fox.

Ill post pictures when it is done. Great idea!
THANKS!

 

[wyododge]

Quote:
WOW... Too cool!
I love it!

Now to choose an image i can use as a Silhouette and cut THROUGH 1inch wood using a drill and a jigsaw:
(think: fox carved into a pumpkin)

This is my wife's favorite fox.

http://www.graphicsfactory.com/clip-art/image_files/tn_image/0/588170-tn_3_fox.gif

Ill post pictures when it is done. Great idea!
THANKS!

Now, I would have suspected she would have put a pic of you up there... LOL!!!

Anyway, the whole draft thing kinda baffles me, You said a while back, if they get cold in the rafters, they can move down move. That is exactly right. The same for the opposite in the winter is true as well, if they get hot, they move up to the rafters to get some cool fresh air, which is what I suspect they will do. could provide some interesting observation for you for sure. My $10 bucks is on them roosting up high all winter long. If they are not comfortable where they are, they will find a spot to suit them. let the chickens decide what is best for them, you have given them a host of options. Raise them tough and they will be tough, pamper them and they will be weak and sick. Heck looks like you ride, if it aint just for fun and you are serious, you know just what I am talking about when it comes to tough. Aint nothing in the world better than HARD work, in the DIRT, MUD and POO on the ranch that will heal you up faster or keep you from getting sick.

As far as your fox vent, I saw a while back a member painted the ward ware cloth covering a window black so you could not see it as much, might be able to get a little creative with coloring the hardware cloth to add some accent. Something I could never do, but you seem to have that artist touch so many of us long for!

I really like that last pic of the fox, it does make it look like he is guarding the hen house. Irony in pictures - I LOVE IT!!!

 

[elmo]

Um, is that chicken wire you're using on the coop vents as well as the run? You do know that chicken wire won't keep out predators, right?

 

[Steadfast]

Quote:
Ha!
That is no mere chicken wire...
but "reinforced chicken wire", dipped in the same type stuff they use for "tool dip"...
It is mucho expensive, but it is also 5X stronger than ordinary mortal chicken wire.

I watched a local German Sheppard hit it, chew on it a while, and fail.
Had he not given up when he did, I had my daughter's bb gun ready to run him off...
(I have higher caliber firarms, but, I like dogs)

Here is a close up photo of a chunk of it:

 

[Steadfast]

Quote:
WOW... Too cool!
I love it!

Now to choose an image i can use as a Silhouette and cut THROUGH 1 inch wood using a drill and a jigsaw:
(think: fox carved into a pumpkin)

This is my wife's favorite fox.

Ill post pictures when it is done. Great idea!
THANKS!

I cut out the "fox" vent hole last Saturday...
It came out lookin SHARP!

I drilled holes at every sharp corner and a cut the rest with a "jig saw"...
then I painted the the inside walls of the hole black, and deck varnished every part, inside and out.
(look close at the last photo and you can see the chicken wire behind it.)

Now we have a "fox Guarding our hen house" which is also the hole up top for better ventilation.

Here are some pictures:

Before:

After:

Yup, there are no athiests in that there vent hole...
because it is a "Fox Hole" after all...

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Ah, I see the venting now.

 

[TruGritCkn]

Super duper awesome job!

 

[critterrun]

WOW LOVE IT

 

[Rosaleen]

Very nice!

 

[Steadfast]

why... thank you...