55 gallon waterer

[blackdog043]

Very impressive and unobtrusive. I like the touch of the planks around the outside of the drum. Are you in an area where you have to deal with freezing conditions? If so, what do you do to prevent the freezing. I have a similar rig and am racking my brain trying to come up with something - I only have a few short months before I need to have something in place.

I don't know where the OP is located, so I don't know their climate. Thank you for adding your location, it helps knowing climates to answer questions.

Do you have a picture of what your using? Are you using vertical or horizontal nipples?
I have a 14 gallon drum and a 5 gallon bucket with horizontal nipples. I don't have problems with mold, algae or slime. I clean/rinse them out on occasion, haven't rinsed out my 14 gallon in 3 months, I just add fresh water to it.

Vertical nipples will freeze, even if they are installed directly into a bucket, with heat added. If you have PVC coming from the container with horizontal nipples screwed into the PVC they will freeze, even if the container is heated. The water will not heat up enough in the PVC. Horizontal nipples need to be screwed directly into a container and a heat source added so they don't freeze. I use a 250 watt stock tank deicer, it lays on the bottom of my 5 gallon bucket, with horizontal nipples. I won't use my 14 gallon in JAN or Feb, when it could freeze in NC.

 

[Kayaking_t]

Thanks blackdog. I'm attaching 2 pictures, one is a closeup on the 1-1/4" Schedule 40 PVC with 4 vertical nipples that is fed, currently, by a garden hose, from a 55 gallon drum with a hose bib attached to the side. The second is the overall setup. My current thought is to use a 500 watt submersible deicer in the tank and heat tape around the PVC after replacing the garden hose with more PVC (I'll miss the flexibility though). But another thought is to add additional PVC and a pump to have water constantly flowing through the PVC pipe back into the drum. I'm definitely open to ideas though. I do have power available to me and I'm also working on some automation with arduino for temperature monitoring and could include temperature monitoring of the water in the drum - that's later on...

 

[WILIFORD]

Any problems with too much water pressure on the nipples using the 55 gallon drum? I'm just wondering because I have heard that too much pressure can seal them and make it so the chickens can't drink. Thanks.

Sorry for the delay in responding. I've been busy building a mini barn, feeder, milking stanchion, etc. for our 3 new Nigerian Dwarf goats. No I have had no problem with the watering nipples, or cups. I have used both the nipples and the cups, they both work fine, I just prefer the cups.

 

[WILIFORD]

Any problems with too much water pressure on the nipples using the 55 gallon drum? I'm just wondering because I have heard that too much pressure can seal them and make it so the chickens can't drink. Thanks.

Very impressive and unobtrusive. I like the touch of the planks around the outside of the drum. Are you in an area where you have to deal with freezing conditions? If so, what do you do to prevent the freezing. I have a similar rig and am racking my brain trying to come up with something - I only have a few short months before I need to have something in place.

Sorry for the delay in responding. I've been busy building a mini barn, feeder, milking stanchion, etc. for our 3 new Nigerian Dwarf goats. I do not have to worry about freezing temperatures. It will get down in the low 30's to upper 20's at night once in a while, but not long enough to effect the waterer.

 

[WILIFORD]

That’s a lot of water !! We use 55 gallon drums for cattle and they’re moldy before they finish half . I’d be really Leary of something that big for 14 hens?

I’d check it daily for mould.

My 5 gallon buckets with nipples turned green and I couldn’t see it , had to change the water every 2-3 days . I’m not in a hot climate but when you seal a container of water and it’s summer it gets moldy and slimy .

Sorry for the delay in responding. I've been busy building a mini barn, feeder, milking stanchion, etc. for our 3 new Nigerian Dwarf goats. I add apple cider vinegar to the water at a ratio of 1 ounce per gallon. This changes the Ph enough that mold can not grow in the system. Even now, this unit has been in place for 1 year, I have yet to need to clean it and I still have no algae or mold issues. Also there are a lot of benefits to the chickens from the ACV. I know some will argue about the benefits, but my hens like it and they are healthy.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

55 GALLON?!! Are you feeding the world or what?!!

 

[New2Chicks97]

That’s a lot of water !! We use 55 gallon drums for cattle and they’re moldy before they finish half . I’d be really Leary of something that big for 14 hens?

I’d check it daily for mould.

My 5 gallon buckets with nipples turned green and I couldn’t see it , had to change the water every 2-3 days . I’m not in a hot climate but when you seal a container of water and it’s summer it gets moldy and slimy .

Are you sure it isn’t algae instead of mold? We have well water that is prone to algae if it is even slightly warm.

 

[New2Chicks97]

55 GALLON?!! Are you feeding the world or what?!!

I have a 55 gallon barrel as well for a similar setup with watering cups. I have that size simply because that was the size on clearance for $15. The smaller ones were twice the price. LOL

 

[WILIFORD]

55 GALLON?!! Are you feeding the world or what?!!

Nope! I have a full time job working 12 hour shifts, dairy goats that have to be milked twice a day, 5 bee hives, fruit trees, and a large garden. So to make this all work, I have to minimize chores where I can. My chicken feeder holds enough feed for a month, the waterer has to be refilled every 3 months or so and I have taken a similar approach with the goats and the bees. I try to find the most efficient manner to preform a chore without sacrificing quality. That's the only way I can manage all of this.

Based on your comment, I'm guessing you have a flock of chickens and a lot of time on your hands.

 

[New2Chicks97]

Nope! I have a full time job working 12 hour shifts, dairy goats that have to be milked twice a day, 5 bee hives, fruit trees, and a large garden. So to make this all work, I have to minimize chores where I can. My chicken feeder holds enough feed for a month, the waterer has to be refilled every 3 months or so and I have taken a similar approach with the goats and the bees. I try to find the most efficient manner to preform a chore without sacrificing quality. That's the only way I can manage all of this.

Based on your comment, I'm guessing you have a flock of chickens and a lot of time on your hands.

Smart set up! Did you make your feeder? If so what did you use, if you don’t mind sharing