Automatic watering

Here is what I am going to do....The food grade drum collects rain water from the gutter and then I will run a 3/4" pvc pipe into run and add 3 or 4 nipple waterers for our chcikens to drink from.  We are getting our chicks next week so I have some time to "fine" tune the system.  I still need to add some screening and maybe some cheese cloth for filtering but I think it will work.  It rained just a little last evening and morning and filled the 15 gal drum over 1/2 way so all looks good for now and I do have a hose in the area to keep it full during summer etc.  I will keep posting pics to keep you updated.  Let me know what you come up with, I am interested on new and better ideas.  Good Luck

FYI....Sevveral people have told me to make sure you can take the system apart for cleaning and stuff......Do not glue the whole thing together as a solid unit....Just thought you might want to know.

You can clean with bleach and I was told you could also add a very mild bleach solution to your water all the time and it would not hurt your chickens and keep the waterer clean. I will probably go with a apple cider vinegar mix in my water. Sounds more natural and safer than bleach to me. Another person told me not to over think it, they are just chickens and they will drink from mud puddles, or any other water source if they have to.....I feel good stuff in the chickens, good stuff out (eggs)....

Here is a mock up of what I have so far...Nothing is glued yet and it doesnt take much rain to fill the 15 gal drum.  Will build cedar cover for it so it looks better from the street.

 

I never thought of making an automatic waterer that collects rainwater...GENIUS! I will be showing this to my husband soon

    I am in the process of doing the same thing. Funny how great minds think alike.I have used a 55 gallon drum/recycled rain barrel with screening to filter out mosquito larvae and such debri. I will use the pvc also for a water tube with nipple waterers inside the coop. I like your idea of an additional spigot line for other uses! I never would have thought of that one. Next on my list is an automatic feeder with timer. Got any ideas?

Yes!, Check out the Cary Company for recycled drums converted to rain barrels. Pvc piping and fittings can be purchased at Home Depot. Water nipples at QC.com. Good start and good luck!