My new feeders and waterers :)

[fuzzi]

Much better!!! I think I see the same plastic knobs that the cups pivot on, but I LOVE that RentaCoop is an American company, started by just a couple of chicken enthusiasts. The cups are pricier, but I plan to order the same set you have for another waterer, and will compare the quality.
https://rentacoop.com/pages/about

And the cups have inserts, so you can remove them for cleaning without emptying the bucket.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

And the cups have inserts, so you can remove them for cleaning without emptying the bucket.

I've just been using a rag to wipe them out, and a pitcher of water to rinse.

 

[fuzzi]

This is what I am using for intermediate waterers:

https://foyspetsupplies.com/cage-drinker-w-stand-3-qt/

 

[ChickyMudder]

I like the tote feeder! I use the same system but in 5 gallon buckets for food and water.

Im toying with an auto watering system as I grow my flock and begin a breeding program. Thank you for sharing!

 

[MakoMark]

Wish I would have seen your post prior to building my feeder and drinker. Being new here there is so much information it is easy to miss a post. I made my 5 gal feeder with 3 in street 45 elbows, the cost of the 3 1/2 hole saw at hardware store was more then the the kit you used from Amazon, and hope the 3 in is OK. I used hot melt to secure .
For the drinker/waterer I did get the rent a coop cups with the removable insert. The directions call for holes 1 in from bottom, realizing some water will be left in the bottom I went 2 in. to be able to sit the bucket on the ground, but still need to raise the bucket!
2 1/2 in would have been better.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Wish I would have seen your post prior to building my feeder and drinker. Being new here there is so much information it is easy to miss a post. I made my 5 gal feeder with 3 in street 45 elbows, the cost of the 3 1/2 hole saw at hardware store was more then the the kit you used from Amazon, and hope the 3 in is OK. I used hot melt to secure .
For the drinker/waterer I did get the rent a coop cups with the removable insert. The directions call for holes 1 in from bottom, realizing some water will be left in the bottom I went 2 in. to be able to sit the bucket on the ground, but still need to raise the bucket!
2 1/2 in would have been better.View attachment 3463698

Mark, they look great and should work fine for young birds. I have found that my roosters with single combs won't use the port feeders, though. I keep a feeder trough out for them. One rooster has a rose comb, and he does fine.

I have one feeder tote with 3-inch ports, same size as yours - and found that my mature birds were reluctant to use it. Maybe because it was new and they just weren't used to it. But seeing that was when I ordered the 4-inch ports and made 2 more feeders with those. I put the 3-inch port feeder in the Camp Cockerel pen since they are smaller birds, and they took right to it. In this pic, they are 9 weeks old. I will need to raise it a few more inches very soon:

I would have made it with PVC elbows like you did (since I had a hole saw already), but I couldn't figure out a way to put rain hoods over the ports without spending more money. And I needed caps, too... so I'd have had to buy those as well.

And as for the waterers, yes - drilling holes high enough so that it can sit on the ground without the cups touching the ground is critical. I just put the buckets up on some 12-inch round patio blocks, and one on a hexagon block (six sides, six cups), and the size is perfect:

 

[MakoMark]

My new feeder and drinker are in the coop raised on cinder block. When the bucket is low on water I'm afraid they will knock it off the block and all the water will drain out into the coop. When I get the run finished and secure I'm thinking of hanging the buckets under the coop. I'm sick now and not willing to go out in the rain to finish the run

 

[NameIwish]

From Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089XZVZMP?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&tag=backy-20

After a couple of weeks of use, I've noticed some issues:
- They all loosened up and started to leak a bit, because the chickens knocked them around a little bit. Once turned sideways a little, they don't seal. I had to pry lids off and tighten them all again. Monitoring this to see if it's a regular issue, or just a one-time adjustment that needed to be made after installation.

- One of the cups broke already. The cup part has little plastic knobs that fit into the housing of the valve part, so that the cup can rotate up and down slightly. One of those knobs broke off, allowing the cup to tilt sideways and opening the seal. I fixed it by slicing off the remaining knob, drilling through the cup where the knobs used to be, then reattaching to the valve part by putting a tie through both sides and around the top. It works fine now, but of course I'll be watching for any other failures.

In hindsight, I probably wouldn't buy these again. I'd look for something more durable, and if there are moving parts, made of nylon or metal.

If you (or anyone else) gets these, I recommend finding a permanent location so that you do NOT have to carry the buckets around, but drag a garden hose around instead. The cups are far too fragile if you knock them against something; probably why mine broke. I now have them set up on a pair of stacked circular patio blocks, about an inch in diameter wider than the base of the bucket. That's so that the block doesn't interfere with the motion of the cups. Be sure you drill the holes high enough on the bucket so that when it sits on the ground, the cups do NOT touch the ground. I'd drill 1/4-1/2" higher than what the instructions say to do.

Maybe these would do better: https://www.amazon.com/Chicken-Wate...594-b4a5-b85c3a9de99f&pd_rd_i=B093SW4XRC&th=1

Chickens are rough on stuff!

With these, your bucket is outside, up and away from the birds and the water runs down a pvc pipe to the waterers (as these are all t-fittings, might as well make a loop affair instead of terminating the pipe. Now, you fill teh bucket w/o needing to stoop into the coop. Does NOT work Well in Freezing weather however!

 

[NameIwish]

Thanks for providing the link and adding a review. My chicks have graduated from the Ball canning jar waterer to two intermediate sized waterers. The 5 gallon bucket waterer is stored for now. And I'll remember your suggestions.



Edited to add:
I just realized that my cups are not the same as yours, but came from the Rent-a-Coop store:
https://www.amazon.com/RentACoop-Automatic-Chicken-Waterer-Poultry/dp/B07D6W2JK8/ref=mp_s_a_1_4

They may be very similar as regard their action - same little bumps that hold the cups and allow it ti pivot to control the flow.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Maybe these would do better: https://www.amazon.com/Chicken-Wate...594-b4a5-b85c3a9de99f&pd_rd_i=B093SW4XRC&th=1

Chickens are rough on stuff!

With these, your bucket is outside, up and away from the birds and the water runs down a pvc pipe to the waterers (as these are all t-fittings, might as well make a loop affair instead of terminating the pipe. Now, you fill teh bucket w/o needing to stoop into the coop. Does NOT work Well in Freezing weather however!

I actually plan to transition to a PVC system with a 50-gal plastic drum when we move this summer, and I have to set up three new coops and runs. In winter, I'll just have to revert to traditional waterers and heated bases I think.