Forced to Forage For Fence

Well folks, it's been an interesting day.  Trying to keep Baby Banzai warm enough without overheating the bigger chicks is quite the challenge.  I have her set up in a shipping box over the brooder since she's WAY too small to put in with the older chickies.  So, I have the heat lamp set up and pointed mostly at her.

The problem is that the chicks are in the mud room on the west side of the house.  That afternoon sun comes in and heats up like crazy.  Banzai would peep because she was cold, so I'd plug in the lamp.  Shortly thereafter, the bigger chicks would be panting.  ACK. 

So I had a brainstorm.  Why not replace the 250 watt bulb with a 100 watt one and point it right at Banzai's box?  The others should get enough warmth.  Errr, yeah.  Since they've been used to a red bulb and I replaced it with a white one, the bigger chickies have suddenly decided to try out their wings.  They're fluttering around in there more than a debutante before her first ball.  Hawkeye even fluttered up to the open end yesterday, and must have been telling stories.  All of them are now trying to get to a high place and go flapping around.

So I thought I should probably put some fence over the top to keep them in, since the name Banzai is already taken.  I thought I remembered that there was some over by the Yokos' coop.  Yep, and I almost tripped over it in the dark.  Then I got to straighten it out and have the fun of trying to anchor it to the top of the brooder.  YAY.  It doesn't cover the open end.  DOUBLE YAY.  I thumbtacked a blanket over the open end and I hope like crazy that it works.

Still, the white light lets me see my beauties.  They're really feathering out and developing some gorgeous patterns.  Wanna see?