Interplex Solar Nite Eyes Review

I wrote a blog back in October of this year about How to Predator Proof the Chicken Coop.  I wrote about several ways to keep predators out, but one I want to go into more specifics about is the Interplex Solar Nite Eyes.  I have decided to review this product after discovering this morning that one of the four solar nite eyes I had came up missing!  So below is my review of this product.  NOTE: I did not receive compensation from Interplex Solar for this review.

Interplex Solar Nite Eyes: < click to see their complete list of predators

When I first heard of the Solar Nite Eyes, I was pretty skeptical, but after finding many customers who had success with them with very serious predator problems I decided to give them a try.  Their website suggests that you order 4 of them to protect all 4 sides.  I ordered 4 of them in early July of this year.  When I received the package, they appeared to be solid but very simple and I questioned whether or not they would work.  The concept is that at night, these red "eyes" flash over and over all night are supposed to look (to an animal) that they are the eyes of another animal watching them.  They in turn feel threatened and stay away.  They do not require any batteries, have been tested in a variety of extreme weather areas, and require no maintenance.  The reference sheet that came in the package gave instructions as to how high they needed to be placed depending on the predator you're trying most to keep out.  After a whole summer trapping raccoons (one of Ohio's worst chicken predators) I really hoped these would work.  It turns out they did work!  They began to work the first night after they were placed outside.  They received literally no more than 4 hours of sunlight that day and they flashed until the sun came up.  They shut off automatically when the sun comes up and turn back on automatically when the sun goes down.  I've been using them since July and have had no problems with them staying charged and we have a lot of cloudy days here in Ohio, as well as that a couple of them aren't placed in direct sunlight.  I have also not had ANY evidence that any predators have even tried to get into the chicken house.  No areas where it looks like it has been dug up or anything.  One of my favorite features of these (and I wasn't aware of this when I ordered them) they have a magnetic back....so you don't even have to nail them to anything. Which is great for quick removal if you want to move them to a new location OR if you do need to charge them up.  The magnet is pretty strong and the only thing I've noticed is that during high winds, one of them did fall off....but that was no problem, I just reattached it and it kept working fine.  I cannot recommend these enough!  In fact I was prompted to write this review because this morning, one of mine came up missing!!  I have no idea what happened to it but once I realized I couldn't find it I immediately knew I would be ordering some more of them!  Depending on where you buy them the price ranges from I think $17 to $25.  It sounds like a lot to spend when you buy 4, but its cheaper than electric fencing, and also cheaper than replacing your flock if something does get in.  This was money well spent in my opinion and I'd spend it again in a heartbeat!  Thank you for reading and go out and buy some Solar Nite Eyes!

Easter Eggs Worked

As you can see from my last blog, one of my hens has started to lay her eggs.  She has only laid 2 eggs so far and the first egg I found on the floor.  I was concerned that they wouldn't use the nest boxes (or buckets really) I had set up for that purpose.  After looking online, I saw that most people had to put golf balls, or fake ceramic eggs in the nest boxes to train them to use the provided boxes.  I didn't really think this would work at all so I searched for some golf balls to try. I only found one golf ball but many of those plastic Easter eggs in the basement.  I didn't know if these would work since they're all different colors.  So I took enough of the plastic Easter eggs to put one in each nest bucket and placed a small rock inside each of them so they wouldn't fall out.  The eggs were only in the buckets for 1 day.  Look what happened!!

I've got a bunch of blog topics coming....more on my predator proofing, the 2013 Seed List, sometime in spring some solar power basics and much more!  There will be more gardening topics as we get closer to spring....sadly there isn't much to do during winter with the garden once you've planned out what you will plant and ordered your seeds.  Thanks for reading along!

First Egg!

Today is an exciting day!  When I went outside early this morning to let the chickens outside I was raking around the bedding on the inside of the coop and found the first egg! I have an idea which one laid the first egg but I don't know for sure.  Of course it wasn't in the nest boxes....I found it on the floor!  It had a few scratches (but not any cracks in the shell, just scratches from the sticks on the floor)  on it and is small like the first eggs are, but was completely clean!  I took some pictures!

This picture is the first egg next to a store bought white egg.  Just for size comparison....the first few eggs that chickens lay are small...but they'll get bigger after a few small ones I think.

Hooray!!  I was planning on writing a blog today about something else, I guess I'll save that one for another time!   Thanks for reading and check back soon!

Chickens See Snow

I just thought I'd show you what was happening this morning.....there are a few flurries this morning here in central Ohio and the chickens have never seen snow before.  I took a short video!  Check it out!

I just ordered a solar panel kit from Harbor Freight and at some point will write about that....but it might not be until spring.  Thanks for reading and watching!

Lettuce Update and DIY Cheap Grit Station for Chickens

First I thought you would all like to know how much the lettuce has grown since I first transplanted it.  I didn't think it had grown all that much until I looked at the first photo I took of it.  It has grown a lot!  The first photo is the day I transplanted it.  The second photo is one I took today!

Here is my latest recycling project.  A chicken grit station.  Chickens need grit to digest their food.  Grit can be dirt, sand, small pebbles, or store bought grit is usually a mix of granite and sometimes shells.  You can buy a grit station which is made of plastic and around $15.00.  You fill it with grit and the chickens will eat it.   Then you pay tax and shipping if you're buying online.  Might as well save some money and make one!    I decided to recycle my 5lb plastic protein powder tub for this very purpose!  Why buy one when its made of plastic anyway, and this will do the same thing.  Here is how I made it.

This is the cleaned out container I am starting with.

Then I cut out rectangular shaped holes that they could fit their heads in.

Fill your container with grit.  I am using sand I got at the gravel pit.  It was only 75 cents for a 5 gallon bucket full.

Put the lid back on the top and see the chickens use it!

Cheapest and Quickest Rain Collector!

Just wanted to post a quick blog and video about how I am collecting rain water from the greenhouse.  The green house is only 6X8, and I'm only collecting water from one end of the eaves spout.   Which means there isn't a whole lot of water coming down.   During winter I am going to use the collected water for the chickens and to water any plants in the greenhouse.  I got this idea from YouTube one on of london1817's videos!  You can see this took almost no time and I recycled some plastic that would otherwise be sitting in a landfill somewhere.  Check out the video!  (This one is very short!) 

As you can see, this is so easy to do.  The next thing I am working on, is plans for a Solar Heated Waterer for my chickens.  I'm going to try and build something that requires no electricity or batteries to operate.  I need something to try and keep their water from freezing.  I'm not sure if this will be my next blog. Just keep an eye out for this!

Garden, Chicken House and Harbor Freight Greenhouse Tour!

After many failed attempts to upload this video I finally got it!  Check it out!

Hope you enjoy it!  I will try to do more videos like this!