My Hero, The Defender of Chicks!

Here he is, my hero, in the process of building the world's safest chicken brooder!  He's working in almost 90° heat with 80% humidity, by the way.

There are no lengths to which this man will not go to make the brooder safe for our chicks.  That is Herb, climbing across metal shelves laid across the ceiling joists 7 feet above the floor, trying to secure some loose pegboard in the far corner which could allow a snake to slither in among our baby chicks.

Here he is from the topside--or the backside, depending on your point of view.  The dark line at the top of his shorts is sweat.  You can't see the blood, but he has shed some of that, too, while cutting the hardware cloth.

Here he is, high above the floor. 

And finally, about 4 in the afternoon, the brooder is done, the tools and mess cleaned up, and the vanquishing hero is ready to go inside for a beer!

You deserve it, Sir Herbert!  Go enjoy it and dream of succulent roast chicken!

And little chicks, safe in your eggs with no idea of your destiny in life, feel safe and protected and hurry home to . . .

. . . The Chicken Palace!