A few Q's: Roof Pitch, Sheathing...

[DickMidnight]

Depending on treecover, you may find some difficulty with the gutters clogging up with leaves that will need periodic maintenance

can confirm.

im in the process of reconfiguring my gutter/downspout/rain barrel filtering system to keep everything cleaner.

if you’re under trees, you will get leaves, sticks, pollen, and all sorts of other tree bits in your gutter, and then in your rain water.

 

[Happy hen lover]

if you’re under trees, you will get leaves, sticks, pollen, and all sorts of other tree bits in your gutter, and then in your rain water.

I too abandoned the gutter to waterer idea, but since then, we have put in lots of water catchment systems on gutters of house. One thing I learned is runoff barrels are substantially cleaner than the direct barrels direct barrel. Just fyi.

 

[DickMidnight]

I too abandoned the gutter to waterer idea, but since then, we have put in lots of water catchment systems on gutters of house. One thing I learned is runoff barrels are substantially cleaner than the direct barrels direct barrel. Just fyi.

i’m not quite following you here.

what are runoff barrels vs direct barrels?

 

[Happy hen lover]

i’m not quite following you here.

what are runoff barrels vs direct barrels?

It's a second barrel attached to "gutter barrel" ,it works on same principal as a cesspool;
solids 1st barrel , cleaner water spills over to next lower barrel.

 

[DickMidnight]

It's a second barrel attached to "gutter barrel" ,it works on same principal as a cesspool;
solids 1st barrel , cleaner water spills over to next lower barrel.

thank you. makes perfect sense.

my plan, come the spring, is to add a foam
wedge filter to the gutter, a screen over top of the barrel, and a sock-type filter in the inlet of the barrel.

i figure the combination will keep their water adequately clean.

 

[Happy hen lover]

I always wondered about the sponge thingy. My culprit was needles more than leaves they can wiggle into any screen but with all three that should work I wish you luck. It would have been very convenient if it worked. We still use barrel I just fill it with hose now.

 

[Badchickenpun]

I always wondered about the sponge thingy. My culprit was needles more than leaves they can wiggle into any screen but with all three that should work I wish you luck. It would have been very convenient if it worked. We still use barrel I just fill it with hose now.

I am about to build a system. I have no trees around my coop. One thing that solves some of the issues in the thread is the "first flush" components. There are several videos where people build this instead of buying a premade. It seems like it would work well for removing needles, but maybe not leaves. I would think if leaves are common you would need a gutter guard to stop them from getting in the gutter to start.