Sunday, February 7, 2010

The Fifth Hen

Dear Mom,
This is what I call my "Fifth Hen".  It makes an appearance in the chicken run every winter.


The Fifth Hen is not just an upside-down clay flower pot and saucer--it is actually a warmer for the hens to cozy up to on cold days.  It is wired with a porcelain socket containing a 75-watt light bulb, and it plugs into an outlet in the coop. I got the "idea" from the February/March 2008 edition of Backyard Poultry.


The heat radiates warmth to the surrounding perch area. 


I often find Meg snuggled up to the Fifth Hen.  She does not have as much heavy feathering and fat as the big girls, and it has been a cold winter!!


I won't argue with the fact that the Fifth Hen probably does more for my conscience than the hens' comfort.  What can I say?  I just adore my girls!


(And I think my girls kinda like me, too!)

Love, Bonnie Jo

5 comments:

I'm gonna tell Mom! said...

I am relieved to know they have something warm to cozy up to!
kim

Carol Murdock said...

What a wonderful idea! :)

Anonymous said...

Bonnie,

I love gettting to know "your girls". The fifth hen is very cool.

Gina

Anonymous said...

I love it, Bonnie! I guess that I didn't know you used a "fifth hen". How cool... I gotta admit, last night I had a dream about your chickens. You had given one to me... it wound up getting sick... and the vet said that it would need $3000 worth of treatment to cure it! Yikes!!! Where does the mind come up with such ideas? ~ Suzy

Carol L. said...

I love hearing about your "girls". I wondered what you did with them in the winter and how you keep them warm. Now I know. I bet they are very anxious for spring.