The Coop Goes Hi-Tech

How could a bunch of nerds have a chicken coop and NOT put technology in it?  The answer is "they can't".  I've been debating about whether or not to heat the chicken coop and extend their daylight hours.  It has been basically impossible to find a remote dimmer that's also a timer, and I'm not an electrical engineer so I won't be cobbling together my own.   But that's a problem that will have to be tackled another day.

J. surprised me today with this Ambient Weather WS-0101 wireless thermohygrometer with optional humidity calibration remote weather monitor that he installed in the coop.  So now I can at least see what the temperature is in the chicken's bedroom without leaving the comfort of our home office!  That's pretty darn cool, if you ask me.  And, with one of the windows still slightly open in the coop, it's staying about 4 degrees above outside temp.  This morning when it was 34 degrees outside, the girls were a cozy 38.  (Hey, they have the equivalent of a down comforter on - they're not cold, trust me.  How do I know this? Because they run around like a bunch of maniacs when I let them out.)

Now we just have to tackle the light and heat issue.  And plan where to put the Christmas lights.  :-)