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We have
never had 6 babies coming at once! Our system of monitoring the mares
had to get a bit more sophisticated. We don't want to miss their
arrivals.
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To start, we took our stalls for
the big horses and divided them up into smaller areas using
wrought iron patio fencing that is just 3 feet tall. Then we
added conveyor belt to the sides for privacy and to protect legs
during the incoherent time of labor. Next we added a 4 camera
system for each set of 3 mini stalls.
At night, the cameras are infrared,
but they were a bit blurry. That overhead fluorescent light was
just too much for the mares all night long. Thus, we added some
Christmas lights |
| The Christmas lights added just
enough light for my Swann Night Hawk cameras to work completely
in focus. |
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These wireless cameras are
capable of transmitting 300 feet across an area free of
obstruction. That is rare at any home. So we moved the
transmitter box close to the cameras and ran a cable up to the
house. The picture rotates through the 4 cameras on my TV. I
have 2 TVs of 4 cameras each. The picture on my TV is really
clear this year, even at night.
Yes, those are mister nozzles that
encircle our barn.... |
| We bought foal buzzers that are
on the halters of any suspect mare. The little box attaches to
the mare's halter and buzzes if she lays out flat. The buzzing
sound is heard from me in the house in one of two ways. It comes
through the sound on the camera system and it comes via a Sony
Baby Monitor. Click here to learn where to buy these. They
cost about $60 which includes shipping. |
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I started out trying an old
monitor I had that was fuzzy and irritating. Off of Ebay, this
Sony cost about $40 and is clear as a bell. One end hangs in the
middle of a trio of mini stalls. After enduring one windy night,
we learned to not just 'hang' it, but to fasten it to a post.
This Sony monitor says it is water resistant, but we hung
ours below the barn roof to be on the safe side. The model is a
Sony NTM-910 monitor and it is very sensitive and clear. |
| This end is really cool. As it
sits plugged in all night, an internal battery charges. This
allows me to work around the house and keep the monitor with me
to listen for buzzing. These monitors have come a loooong way
since we had little children. |
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