In the trenches

With the last bit of summer running past us, I decided to embark on a large pre-winter project: running an electrical line out to the chicken coop.

Why do chickens need electricity, you ask? Mostly so I can plug in a heated water jug. I just don’t have it in me to run fresh water out to the coop three times a day in freezing weather.

Having power in the coop also gives me the option of hooking up a small radiant heater, in case temperatures drop below zero. I’ve heard that most chickens are hardy down to this temperature, but I’d like the option to add a bit of heat if things really get cold.

So, to run power out to the coop, first I needed to get a permit from city hall. A neighbor and his cousin (an electrician) offered to help with the project.

This morning I rented a trencher to dig a 24-inch trench from the house to the coop. It took Matt and my neighbor to wrestle this 600-pound machine across the yard. But we now have a trench that we can lay the electrical line in.

In the next week, I’m hoping we can add a power circuit in the house, and set up the rest of the line.

My goodness, these chickens are spoiled!

After returning the trencher, I checked on the girls. I found all three in nesting boxes, working on their daily offerings!