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

[Lor]

We just use the typical feeders and waterers inside the (enclosed) run. We put two waterers in the outer extra run by using those (kids--for sand) pails inside a clay pot so they can't tip it over. Nothing fancy here. LOL!
Those pails are cheap and we also use one for a poop bucket when pooper-scooping the house and run.

 

[NicholeT]

I have always had the port gravity feeders, little to no waste and when their empty I pour the dust into a rubber bowl and make a mash. I recently added a hanging feeder but that will be for all the grow outs (lots of chicks this year) I probably won't use it after they're gone. As far as watering, I started with the cups but they get super gross really fast so I switched to nipples. I have a 5 gallon bucket in the run with nipples on it, and another 5 gallon bucket outside the run on a little table, it has a 6ft garden hose attached that connects to a 2ft long peice of pvc pipe with nipples that is screwed to the outside wall of my coop.

I would love to see a picture of the hose/pvc waterer. Is that because you have so many? Why not just have the bucket on the ground with more nipples?

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I would love to see a picture of the hose/pvc waterer. Is that because you have so many? Why not just have the bucket on the ground with more nipples?

I think I have an old pic, I'll try and find it. No, actually having multiple waters and feeders eases tensions in the flock. If you only have 1 waterer and 1 feeder and the head hen is eating and a lower member is hungry, they aren't getting anything until the head hen is done and says they can, same with waterers. Also if you add to your flock the same applies, the new chicks aren't even members of the flock until they start laying or there abouts, so more stations creates more opportunities for everyone to get what they need with the least amount of conflict.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

This is the best I've got from my original setup. The bucket is on the other side of the fence, behind the coop in the shade

 

[Azlyna]

Bought these a few weeks ago and they work really well in soggy Louisiana.
https://a.co/d/8E21FcO

https://a.co/d/4ddTCcg

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

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.

We are going to try this in the run. We started with a bucket and the little cup waterers we got from Cackle. But it seemed like the chickens never quite got the hang of tapping the big yellow thing to refill them. Then throw in the ducks, who DO know how to make it work, and the cups just get so yucky. Defeats the purpose of trying to offer fresh water for them, but it at least it's fresher for the ducks than the water they are swimming (and pooping) in.

I hope the smaller nipples work better for the chickens this year. I just picked the nipples up from TSC and we will install them into a bucket, and continue leaving both buckets in the run.

I have a three gallon (I think) red plastic waterer in the coop, on bricks, but I still think we need to hang it up, because it seems like it's just so dirty and full of kicked up bedding by morning. Which means I don't trust that they would have clean water if we had to leave them in there more than just overnight. I'm hoping hanging it may help with that.

 

[TXKukupantsKoop]

We use regular plastic feeders/waterers. My hens hated nipple waterers and the cups always leaked. We hang everything from the rafters in the runs.

I take the food up every night and it goes in the house in a galvanized trash can with the chicken feed. No food or water in the coop except for the babies. I can't wait until that's over with...what a mess! ❤

 

[WalnutTree]

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!


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I really love the idea of collecting rainwater in a barrel and have wanted to try it for a long time. If you live in the PNW or somewhere with adequate amount of rain, this would be a low maintenance/cost set up, at least for fall/winter

 

[Toothpick]

Bought these a few weeks ago and they work really well in soggy Louisiana.
https://a.co/d/8E21FcO
https://a.co/d/4ddTCcg

View attachment 3500204

Do you notice any spilled food under the feeder?

 

[Devyn Nagy]

I originally had a 3"d PVC pipe screwed to the side of my coop. It had a three way split on the bottom, and I'd fill it from the top. It worked quite well, and stayed clean, but I stopped using it because flocks of sparrows were almost  doubling feed consumption. I now use a hanging 2 gallon bucket with a large I-bolt dangling in the middle. There is a block of wood screwed on the bolt, and when the chickens peck at it, a small amount of feed falls to the ground for them.