Setting Up

Backyard Poultry

New Chicken House

There always comes a point when raising new chicks that they just simply have to be moved from the porch (or kitchen) to the outdoor henhouse. Well, my chicks have reached and are rapidly moving beyond that point, as you can see here. But thankfully, we already have a plan in place. Last fall, we had the foresight (and time) to build an expansion on our current chicken house, more than doubling its size. You can read all about it here (and here). After sitting empty all winter, it was time to utilize this new space. The first matter was setting up a light to keep the new chicks warm. After all, it was still early May, and these chicks still needed it 75-80 degrees to be comfortable. I simply took the brooder light that the chicks were already moving and suspended it from the ceiling by a hook and chain.

Cord Troubles

 Taking care of the light cord was a different matter, as the shed is a good 75 feet from my house and has no power source of its own. I suspended the cord by additional hooks along the ceiling, running out above the chicken house door to an extension cord. This weather-proof cord traveled out of the shed and along the ground to a plug on my porch. Of course, this is not an ideal or long-term solution, but for a month or two it would not be a problem (so long as the mower is forewarned, that is).