# Fall Coop



## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

Our coop got some new fresh straw bedding. We removed the hardware cloth underneath so the chickens could dust bath and scratch freely at their bedding. We still have the fringe, but we covered it up with dirt and straw. I also added a 5 gallon waterer - I was tired of refilling that small one.
I know the nest box curtains are small...I didn't have enough fabric. Oh well, I'll make new ones later!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

A gallon size would have been plenty big enough for them. Think about this, when it gets cold it's liable to freeze so you'll be lugging around a heavy, five gallon jug. In the Summer when the sun is high algae is liable to start growing and you're back to lugging that heavy thing around again to clean.

Curtains are cute though.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

I thought about getting a 5 gallon waterer. For the same reasons Robin stated, 3 gallon waterers are more manageable; easy to clean and hauling water.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I have a 3 gal waterer for 26 chickens and it is more than enough.Come the cold weather,if it freezes your way,you'll need a heated waterer to prevent it from freezing.I got summer waterers and winter waterers and now I'm gonna have to buy heated buckets for the geese,too.It's always something and I'm running out of storage space.


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

robin416 said:


> A gallon size would have been plenty big enough for them. Think about this, when it gets cold it's liable to freeze so you'll be lugging around a heavy, five gallon jug. In the Summer when the sun is high algae is liable to start growing and you're back to lugging that heavy thing around again to clean.
> 
> Curtains are cute though.


Here's the thing - it never gets cold here...usually never below freezing. If it does, I'll make sure it doesn't get frozen. The last time I saw water frozen here - that was about 5 years ago.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Here too. I have mostly 3 gallon, one 5 gallon for the main flock. When I replace the water, a bit of bleach and a toilet brush clean them up and they're ready to go.

That's a beautiful little coop! I love the curtains.


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## Wilbur's Mom (Aug 10, 2017)

Love the coop! We have the 5 gal. Hubby likes to “make sure”’he had enough. The curtains are cute too! We are going to have to do something else. Ours is getting pretty small. I’ll post a pic later. Well maybe tomorrow have a ballgame tonight


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

chickenqueen said:


> I have a 3 gal waterer for 26 chickens and it is more than enough.Come the cold weather,if it freezes your way,you'll need a heated waterer to prevent it from freezing.I got summer waterers and winter waterers and now I'm gonna have to buy heated buckets for the geese,too.It's always something and I'm running out of storage space.


Well, if the 5 gallon waterer becomes a problem in the "deep" winter (Lowest goes to 35 ) I can always use my small 5 quart one. At my local TSC, they have massive 5 gallon waterers...galvanized, nipple waterers, plastic fountains, you name it. Then, they have two small waterers that hold 5 quarts - a galvanized and a plastic fountain. I got the plastic fountain because the galvanized ones are $20+.
The plastic fountain was hard to use because the "jug" part was so firmly attached to the base, whenever I wanted to refill it or clean out the base, I would have to pull with all my strength, and occasionally throw it on the ground to loosen it. My dad even had some trouble with it. This 5 gallon takes less refills because it lasts longer, and the base just un-snaps from the jug part for easy cleaning. I like it a lot.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Wig, we have one just like you and had to use a vice grip to get it off until we stumbled on the idea of using Vaseline on the rubber ring inside the lid. Next time you clean it take the ring out, coat it with Vaseline and wipe the excess off. We've had no further problem with getting it off.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

nannypattyrn said:


> Wig, we have one just like you and had to use a vice grip to get it off until we stumbled on the idea of using Vaseline on the rubber ring inside the lid. Next time you clean it take the ring out, coat it with Vaseline and wipe the excess off. We've had no further problem with getting it off.


I have one that I have to use a tire iron to open. Thanks for the great idea Patty!


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## oldhen2345 (May 14, 2017)

Yep, I'm gonna have to put me some curtains on the nesting boxes. For a waterer, I use a 5 gallon bucket with nipple cups. I like them, although one of the cups leaks - I can't get the parts separated to clean it out- I just wait til the water level goes down to near the nuts holding the cups, then dump and clean out the algae. I think I will start putting a drop of bleach in it, so maybe the algae will take longer to develop. I used to have the fount waterer but had so much difficulty with it. It was hard to get the bottom off, then turning it over when full was a nightmare. If it wasn't just so on the cinderblock, the water would all leak out. I was refilling the 3 gallon waterer almost daily. I finally gave up on it. Love the nipple cups.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Oldhen. There types are much easier to clean and fill. You hang them also.


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## oldhen2345 (May 14, 2017)

thanks for the suggestion, but I have tried those. I used to have them hanging, but it is too heavy when full and I have a hard time lifting it to the hook on the bottom of the coop, so I just set it on a cinderblock. I must be weird or something but this is what happens. I put the black screw on lid on the spout at the bottom, fill with water, making sure the reservoir is full and the hole is covered with water and set on a cinderblock. Then I unscrew the little black lid and put it back on its holder. All of the water comes pouring out of the hole. I then have to refill and start again. This time, I have to gauge how tight to unscrew the little lid so that only some water comes out all the time- too tight, it dries up, too loose, it all leaks out. Sometimes, I just tightened it down and filled the reservoir every morning. I have had 4 waterers of this type and have never gotten it to work right. I guess the issue is with me, but I get tired of putting out money and still have to jack with the waterer every single day. At least with the bucket and nipple cups, I don't have to do anything major for at least 4-5 days. If I can fix that cup leak, I will be good for at least a week- then just maintainance cleaning and filling.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Do you have the rubber O - ring that fits inside the lid for a tight seal when it's screwed down? If that O - ring is missing, you dont have a good seal and it'll leak.


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## oldhen2345 (May 14, 2017)

No, haven't seen an O ring on any of them. Will look for that. Thanks


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

I took some pics for you to show you what the O-ring looks like. It shouldve been included in the purchase and located inside the screw down cap.
On rare occasions I've had one leak with the O-ring installed. I removed the O-ring and put it over the male threads on the waterer which completely stopped leaks. (See pic.)
Patty recommended putting a light coat of vaseline on the O-ring to make it easier to unscrew when changing out and replacing water.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

The Vaseline trick is still working for me. My hubs only has strength in one hand and he can take it off to fill. It doesn't have to be done but every few months when it starts sticking again. Vaseline is completely safe. I know because my oldest child tried eating it when he crawling. I called poison control and they even told me it was pure enough to cook in (yuck)!


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I have that waterer,I'm on the second one now.I really like it because I find it easy to deal with and it has a wide opening you can put frozen bottles in it for cold water in the hot months.I have to put it up in the winter and I wish they came in a heated model.The heated waterer I have is hard to fill,from the bottom, and a lot of water pours out when I turn it over or it comes apart and three gallons of water pour on my legs/feet/plug.I keep waiting to get electrocuted.


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## oldhen2345 (May 14, 2017)

dawg53 said:


> I took some pics for you to show you what the O-ring looks like


thanks dawg53. I will be heading to the feed store when I get off work. Now I know I can get this to work.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Your feed store may have to order them separate as extras, our feed store had to. If you bought the waterer from the feed store and it didnt come with the O-ring, I'd complain. The price you paid for the waterer includes the O-ring as well as the small cap.


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