Oh, I have knit, I have painted, surely that’s all I accomplished this New Year, right? Wrong! On New Year’s day I completed a project to ensure my chickens stay warm through subzero winter temperatures. I made window blankets for our chicken coop. What is a window blanket? It is Mr. Afthead’s brainchild, which I executed. (Okay, he helped with the grommet hammering part.) Window blankets are insulated pieces of fabric created with hanging mechanisms at the top, which can be placed over the windows of the chicken coop to provide insulation and protection from our chilly winter days and nights. They also keep snow from blowing into the coop. Let me show you some pictures.
I think the window blankets provide a nice pop of color in the chicken run too. Thankfully these got finished before the snow and subzero temperatures arrived this week.
What!?! No! These are not just curtains! Curtains go on the inside of structures and these are on the outside. Also, curtains must be ironed and sewn with matchy matchy thread, and these do not. Finally, these might get chicken poop on them, and that’s probably not a concern with your curtains, right? Totally different. The only similarities are that they are made of fabric, cover a window, and must be measured with a smidgen of accuracy.
Let me tell you, we may have to patent these wonderful window blankets, because this past week the chicken coop was eleven degrees warmer than the outside when we had the heat lamp on and the window blankets attached. Without the window blankets the difference was 4 degrees. So the chickens are staying toastier thanks to my handiwork and my husband’s invention.
It’s the least we can do for these feathery gals who keep giving us eggs and provide us so much joy.
Oh! You want to make your own window blankets? Instructions are coming soon…
Afthead 