will buckets work for watering my chickens

Yep. I use 2-3 gallon buckets for all of my adult birds. Ducks, chickens and bantams. For the smaller bantams I do supply a shallower livestock feed bin. That’s because once they drink down the buckets they can’t reach the water anymore.
Just switched to some nipples in a 5 gallon bucket to try that out.
 
I used gradually bigger crocks as the chicks grew (after they outgrew the chick waterer), that worked well until it was late enough in the fall to risk it breaking from freezing. About that time, I found a 3 quart ice bucket that they have used since. I adore that - it is stainless steel so easy to clean and vacuum sealed so stays cool in the summer and goes 12 hours without freezing - at anything warmer than 15F (-9C).

I don't think there is or was any drowning hazard. I wouldn't do it with young chicks, though.
 

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