XP: how to keep chicks water dish CLEAN?!

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Buckets work great and there are no building skills required. I have a 5-gallon in the coop and used an ice cream tub in the brooder. I used chain to hang them so I can adjust the height as they grow and I put a block under one nipple for the smaller chicks since I have mixed ages with a 3-week spread. Easy-peasy!

Yeah the buckets are definately easier than building the PVC type and cheaper also, however, depending on the coop/run and/or brooder size, design, and/or being able to hang a heavy 5 gallon bucket & chain from something sturdy enough to handle the weight of that much water, it just might not work for some people. I just think the rabbit water device can be purchased almost anywhere for about $4 and without having to buy the seperate nipples online and they can be adjusted to fit just about anywhere also. I mostly just recommend them for the brooder because they only hold a quart of water, which also may be enough for people that just have a few chickens, I don't know. But whatever works, they work for me in my brooder & I'm just throwing it out there as a clean water option without the need for nipples and buckets or PVC pipe for newbies looking for ideas.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/pet-ca...e-rig-house-trade-water-bottle-32-oz--2179554

I wasn't intending to be derogatory -- only pointing out an alternative to assembling a PVC system because when I read your post, it sounded like using nipples = work and expense to me I can build a bucket waterer in a few minutes and for less than $10.

Gotcha, no problem or offense taken

No other waterer beats a nipple waterer. I can't vouch enough for it! I love using it for chicks and older birds alike. However since it does get very hot and dry here, I also keep a regular waterer for my chickens so that they can drink as much as they need to. I put the nipple waterer a bit higher so that the birds will have to stretch a little to drink. This way they are able to peck the nipple correctly and get water.

Although this is somewhat of an old post Im hoping someone can answer a question for me. Why can you use just a standard water bowl. With my water feeders, the traditional red bottom and upside down contraption still needs to be cleaned daily, so I end up filling it daily anyway. Cant a regular water bowl work if it is raised slightly? The water bucket idea was great, but once again it still has to get cleaned daily and is heavy lifting for cleaning, and I loose half of the water lifting it in and out. Thanks for any help.

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Sure, you can use an open bowl (with adult chickens, not chicks). My folks use a heated dog bowl in the winter. It gets dirty quickly even if you put it on a platform (you'd be amazed at how much litter and feathers and dust flies with chickens around) so you definitely have to dump & clean it regularly. I don't understand why you need to wash a bucket with nipples daily, though. I give mine a good shaking every few days to help oxygenate the water and then clean it when I change the litter (~6 weeks or so). It has a lid -- the air hole is the size of a pin. The water stays clean and since it's in the shade, it takes more than 6 weeks to get slimy.

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Sure, you can use an open bowl (with adult chickens, not chicks). My folks use a heated dog bowl in the winter. It gets dirty quickly even if you put it on a platform (you'd be amazed at how much litter and feathers and dust flies with chickens around) so you definitely have to dump & clean it regularly. I don't understand why you need to wash a bucket with nipples daily, though. I give mine a good shaking every few days to help oxygenate the water and then clean it when I change the litter (~6 weeks or so). It has a lid -- the air hole is the size of a pin. The water stays clean and since it's in the shade, it takes more than 6 weeks to get slimy.

Thanks for your advice my water bucket doesn't have a nipple system, although I have looked into maybe trying that. I did just find this http://www.tractorsupply.com/little-giant-ever-full-bowl-2401618 and am thinking about getting one. If you read the comments it has someone that uses it for their chickens IDK I think for now I will just use a standard bowl. Perhaps let the chickens lay some more eggs to help pay for their fancy bowl. I have all grown hens, but Im seriously wanting to add to my 14, and get some chicks, guess I should focus on perhaps a small coop for the babies eeeek can't wait to order babies!

Thanks for the tip. I had forgotten about nipple waterers - I've tried the bricks, but still the water gets so dirty