A different way to water chickens-Avian Aqua Miser

[Schroeder]

Several posts back someone mentioned heating cable from Klubertang that goes inside the PVC system. Has anyone tried this to prevent freezing inside an unheated coop? Perhaps its better to have a separate sytem for the winter, perhaps making use of buckets with birdbath heaters inside.

 

[sadie777]

AWESOME!!! We are smack dab in the middle of a heatwave here in East Tennessee, but I bought 3 of these nipples from Farmtek a few weeks ago and decided to make this bucket watering system today. After talking to Farmtek, they recommended the PUSH-IN type vs the threaded for my 5 gallon bucket. I had a bucket that I bought from Firehouse Subs last year for $2 just sitting around, and since it's food grade, I decided to use it. I bought an 11/32" drill bit ($5) at Home Depot, as well as 15 feet of small chain ($6) and 2 packs of 3 S-hooks that will hold 50 pounds of weight. That way, I can hang another chain inside the coop to hang the water bucket on if I'm gone for a weekend or something and my girls should be fine. I also bought 2 eye-hooks to put on top. It took me less than 10 minutes to make the bucket with 3 grommets/nozzles. So, you screw the eye hook into the top of the coop (or wherever you're going to hang the waterer), then put an s-hook onto that. Hang the chain on the s-hook, then put another s-hook at the bottom of the chain where you're going to hang the bucket. (Hang the bucket so your chickens have to reach up a little to get it, but not too high). Hang the bucket handle directly on the s-hook and you're done. (Instructions provided for those who aren't too handy).

Oh, by the way, the correct Item # from www.farmtek.com is WC1045. Type that number into the Catalog Search # box, and it will take you right to it. There are also instructions on the product page for how to make the bucket waterer.

I started with 3 gallons of water and 6 Tablespoons of Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar. I was a little nervous, but decided to remove their galvanized tub water, even though it's so hot and dry outside. I spent about 15 minutes in their pen with them tapping on the nozzles, pouring water over the bucket so they'd see running water, and holding a couple of birds and guiding their necks up to the nipples. I bought 17-week-old Red Star Pullets a couple or three months ago.

Then I left and sat on a bench on the other side of the yard and decided to watch them to see what happened. Within 10 minutes, one of them discovered the watering nozzle. And within another couple of minutes after that, the rest of them followed suit!

It is such a relief not to have to walk up there every night to empty that nasty water and re-fill it. Now, I'll just put a couple of Tablespoons of vinegar into a gallon milk jug and pour it in the bucket whenever I need to. I imagine I have less than $25 in all the necessary supplies.

 

[sweethavenarts]

Bringing up and old thread but I need HELP!! I'm trying to make a SMALL FREEZE PROOF Avian Aqua Miser!
I have a small coop and 4 birds. So the 5 gal buckets with the heat tape will not work for me. And I'm having a hard time finding smaller buckets, like 1 gallon, locally. I don't want to buy them on line for worry that they won't work. I've tried using some food storage buckets and they aren't working. Heat tape is pretty thick.
Any ideas for putting this together on a small scale? I'm also trying to get it so I can hang it- my girls are CONSTANTLY knocking over their current waterer (which is on the cookie tin with a light bulb in it.)

 

[Schroeder]

Porter Paints stores sell an empty one gallon bucket for about $2. They are thick plastic with a metal lid and metal handle..I use 2 nipples in it, wondering if one might clog someday, but you could use only 1 nipple if you wanted. I have the 5 gallon nipple waterers, and I use the one gallon version in my smallest breeding pen. In the future I also will use the 1 gallon version in my brooder pens.

In my 5 gallon waterers I use bird bath heaters in the winter. Not sure what to tell you to use in the smaller waterer.

 

[lindabean]

Hi, a few years ago I set up my small flock with a do-it your-self kit from Avian Aqua Miser. I used 1 gallon plastic bottles that came with Apple juice in them. Also the Southern Tea uses the same type of bottle. I don't know how they would hold up to heat strips, but they are heavy pliable plastic. I also read an article about a man with a small flock that used a metal waterer, elevated on an inverted metal pan that he put his water heater under. The waterer sat on top and was heated through the pan. He kept it inside the chicken house and only plugged it in during freezing weather. Hope this helps.

 

[coopqueen]

We use the saddle style nipples in the pipe for most of the time, with a bucket with the red threaded style ones in the coold weather. The aquarium heater works when it is cold enough to freeze the white pipe. I have not read every post on this, but the internal pipe heater sounds interesting. The waterers work great, but if I could find a heat tape that will not melt the white plastic pipe, I would be tickled.Whoops for the pic being sideways.

 

[coopqueen]

Yes!!! We put a bamboo gutter into the 5 gallon bucket on the outside of the coop and in the rainy season we have our watering problems solved!!! Although freezing is another issue and problem. We have an inside and outside source of water for the turkeys in an unheated space. The aquarium water heater helps alot.