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Last weekend for Mother’s Day we visited my parents. After a lovely meal and a few exchanges of cards and presents we decided to attempt making a Vintage Chicken Waterer Light Fixture. What else do people do on Mother’s Day other than head out to the shop and make something?
Supplies Needed
- One Vintage galvanized chicken water cover
- One Drill with a 5/8 inch metal drill bit and a a 1/4 inch metal drill bit
- One 1-inch hex bolt and nut
- One Light Kit
- One Flat screwdriver
- One 1-inch light weight chain
- One 1-inch chain connector
- One light bulb
With all of the supplies gathered we headed out to the shop. At this point ADD kicked into over drive for my family! The teenage boy wanted to practice his hand at wood burning, I wanted to move Ranch Security (Hank the Beagle) to the pen in the Orchard to allow him more room to run and to keep the coons out of the peaches, and my Mom was the project supervisor and chief photographer of the project. So between the three of us asking my Dad a million questions of where is this? Where is that? Can you help me do this? We somewhat resembled a three ring circus! My poor Dad, he would stop working on the Vintage Light Fixture and get us whatever it was we needed and then go right back to working. Visits to the country are always fun and full of laughter!
Assembly of the Vintage Chicken Waterer Light Fixture isn’t that difficult and it should only take about 30 minutes from start to finish. I say should, but if you have the shenanigans like my family it might take you a little longer. First you need to remove any rust from the water cover inside and out. Note: We generally use a bench grinder with a wire wheel and/or a power drill with a round wire brush attachment for this step.
Next using the power drill, carefully drill a 5/8-inch hole in the center of the water cover from the top (in between the handles). About a 1/4-inch from the 5/8-inch center hole drill the 1/4-inch hole for the power cord.
Once the 2-holes have been drilled inspect for any rough spots and sand/file if necessary. Slowly pull the electrical wire in and out of the chain weaving it about every three links. Next carefully pull the light kit electrical cable through the 1/4-inch hole leaving yourself enough wire to attach to the light kit assembly.
Next dissemble the switch from the light kit and carefully attach one bare cable to each screw terminal on the light assembly. Attach the threaded lite kit to the bolt at the top of the galvanized vintage chicken water cover, tighten the bolt to the nut tread and then the light assembly to the bottom of the bolt until tight (the nut will secure the bolt from the inside).
Now that the light assembly kit has been wired and is secured to the top of the vintage chicken waterer you will need to press it together securely until it snaps into place. Add a light bulb and your new Vintage Chicken Waterer Light Fixture is ready for use!
After extended use of the Vintage Chicken Waterer Light Fixture the galvanized water cover can become hot, so please use caution. We decided to put this out on the patio by the pool area to give a rustic farmhouse look to this area and have enjoyed it several times since making! 
Chief of Ranch Security wasn’t able to be moved to the orchard on Mother’s Day because he thought he was Houdini and kept escaping! We are all still scratching our heads! We could never see where he was escaping from! Not to worry, this southern girl is determined to fix the issue…whatever that may be! Operation Hank to the Orchard is in full force!
