Share your history of feeder/waterer setups pros and cons?

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

I'm looking into trying some new ways to feed and water the chickens when I build the coop.
Since I'm making plans now, it would be a good time for me to decide which way I want to go.
I'm seeing some really cool and innovative ideas in blogs and vlogs but, very often, each one talks about the pros and not the cons.

I am betting that a lot of people here have tried a lot of different ways and have found what worked for their situation and what didn't and why.
I am hoping that you will all share your wisdom so I can make a good call before I start building.

I've pretty much done old school since I was a girl, galvanized vacuum waterer on the ground
and galvanized feed trough on legs on the ground.
I'm ready for something else!

 

[drangle]

I started out with a water system like that and would feed twice a day in a shallow metal pan. Now I use a 5 gallon bucket with nipples. It stays a lot cleaner and I can put a stock tank heater in it in the winter.

For a feeder I hung a 40 pound from a rafter In the run. It has a large pan it feeds into with a lip. Very little to no waste. When it’s empty I dump all the fines into a pan, add water and make mash.

When it is going to rain I hang it from a rafter in the coop.


I like this set up so far. I do plan to add another 5 gallon water bucket to the run though.

 

[LizzzyJo]

I also have now hung my big gravity feeder. So much less waste!

 

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

I started out with a water system like that and would feed twice a day in a shallow metal pan. Now I use a 5 gallon bucket with nipples. It stays a lot cleaner and I can put a stock tank heater in it in the winter.

For a feeder I hung a 40 pound from a rafter In the run. It has a large pan it feeds into with a lip. Very little to no waste. When it’s empty I dump all the fines into a pan, add water and make mash.

When it is going to rain I hang it from a rafter in the coop.


I like this set up so far. I do plan to add another 5 gallon water bucket to the run though.

Could you share a photo?
A 40-pound bucket?

 

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

I also have now hung my big gravity feeder. So much less waste!

Is your gravity feeder a bucket?

I'd love to see a photo.
I'm a visual learner.

 

[drangle]

https://www.chewy.com/little-giant-hanging-metal-poultry/dp/318722

its a feeder like this one

 

[drangle]

the waterer looks like this

https://incubatorwarehouse.com/noble-nesttm-5-gallon-bucket-nipple-waterer.html

but much cheaper if you make it yourself. if you have a drill it is super easy. I also have that placed on a chunk of railroad tie so it is chest level to a chicken. anything at ground level is going to get really dirty.

 

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

https://www.chewy.com/little-giant-hanging-metal-poultry/dp/318722

its a feeder like this one

Thanks!
I've been looking for one just like that!

 

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

the waterer looks like this

https://incubatorwarehouse.com/noble-nesttm-5-gallon-bucket-nipple-waterer.html

but much cheaper if you make it yourself. if you have a drill it is super easy. I also have that placed on a chunk of railroad tie so it is chest level to a chicken. anything at ground level is going to get really dirty.

Are you happy with the nipple setup? I heard some say they dripped too much.

 

[RubelliteRose]

For water, we started off with auto-filling cups in a 5 gallon bucket. Loved them until 4 of them failed by either not filling or overflowing and draining the bucket. We switched to rubber feed pans until our broody hatched some chicks. While the chicks were little, we used 5 qt. gravity waterers and now we are back to using the rubber pans.

For food, we started off with pvc elbows in 5 gallon buckets. They worked great and kept the food dry even during rain. After an attack of chicken math, we decided that we needed more food stations and that those would be getting pretty expensive to build more. We bought 3 of the plastic hanging gravity feeders. The chickens make a mess using those when they are hanging, so we place them in large rubber feed bowls to catch the spilled feed. The feed bowls are up on stepping stones to keep most (but not all) of the litter out of the food. I usually pick out any wood chunks each night when I pour the spilled food back into the feeders.