Just joined the site and the chicken world. Got 7 red sex links from the store a few weeks ago. I've lived in and around farms all my life and have a degree in agriculture, but these are my first chickens. Got them setup in my backyard in the back section of my lawnmower shed with an attached...
I put a hotwire around my garden and chicken run. My dog gets close and she will learn, yea its a little mean, but better than destroyed garden and dead chickens. She learns really fast what that wire means, I could probably unplug the fencer.
I got some nipple waterers and they work great in the bottom of a hanging 5 gallon bucket, or in the lid of a 2 liter soda bottle. My 3 week old chicks took to it right away.
http://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Waterer-Nipple-Chicken-CC/dp/B006IT8OFK