Swing set run w/recycled materials coop - Page 2

Thank you!  I spent a lot of time researching waterers on this site and read lots of posts in the feeding and watering your flock forum.  I would really like to have a nipple waterer but that will have to wait its turn in our to do list.  I'm not sure which person(s) idea that I based ours on.  My DH modified it to make it work.  We started off with the five gallon Home Depot bucket and the largest round plant tray that I could find.  DH drilled a hole in the bucket about 1 in. up from the bottom then attached the bucket to the tray with screws, bolts, and homemade rubber washers.  (He cut up an old bicycle inner tube to make them.)  Unfortunately, the lid to our bucket didn't fit on tight enough to make a vacuum and the water just all came out of the bottom.  It filled the tray and overflowed until the bucket was empty.  So, I bought a five gallon water bottle at Wally Mart for less than $10.  DH drilled a hole in the neck of the botttle about 1 inch up.  We filled it, turned it over into the orange bucket, and held our breath!  It worked!  The water filled up the tray and stopped!  The only downside is that it is heavy to carry full after cleaning and refilling but I only have to do that once a week.   If you want to make one of these, I do recommend that you use stainless steel screws.  We use apple cider vinegar in our water and we are going to have to replace the screws pretty soon due to rust.  Maybe by that time, DH will be ready to tackle another chicken project and will make the nipple waterers for me!

The bottom 3 feet all the way around has hardware cloth and the top has chicken wire.  The plan is to either put hardware cloth over the whole thing or to put a second layer of chicken wire or some other kind of fencing wire on the top section.  It is not all done with hardware cloth because I did not win the discussion and had to compromise with the one armed man!

Did your coon attack happen at night or during the day?  DH grew up on a farm where the chickens just roamed all day with no protection.  He thinks that I'm being a little over protective with the whole thing.  We are in the city but do have the occasional coon, possum, hawk, and neighbor's cat.  The backyard is enclosed with a 6 foot fence so not too worried about dogs.  Our chickens are locked up in the coop at night and we let them free range the backyard while we are home during the day.  I'm just trying to gauge how much I should push to have the top covering more secure.  Maybe I should just start the project so DH can rush in and rescue me?!

WOW!  I sure don't want that to happen to us.  Our vent openings are all covered with hardware cloth.  I just worry about some acrobatic coon getting through the chicken wire on top.