ARGH!!!!!! Overflowing waterers

[Sue Gremlin]

Hello chicken folks,

I need help! I am about to purchase my third waterer because of overflow. I am reluctant to use a nipple water system because the waterer is outside and we are in Michigan, where it can get really cold.

When I started my flock in January, I bought this waterer (Farm-Tuff Top-fill, 5 gallon)

and it never worked. It overflowed no matter how I adjusted it. I Googled the model and found nothing but similar complaints, so I returned it.

Then I got this model (Harris Farms Easy-Fill 5 gallon)

and it worked. At $40, it should. I liked it a lot, it was easy to fill and clean. For a few months anyway. Then it started to overflow for no apparent reason. I Googled this one and found an instructional video that someone posted here about disassembling and cleaning it. Which I did. It didn't really change anything. The cup still fills too much, but it was ok for a short time, barely containing the water. Well this morning I found an empty drinker and a muddy pen AGAIN. ARGH. It is on a perfectly level surface.

I need to get a heater unit anyway, so was thinking of buying or making a heated base for it, but now that it is overflowing, I need another solution. Does anyone have one of these? I can't find any adjustments. I just want a reliable waterer!

How are these metal drinkers? Thoughts?


Thank you for any help!!!!!

 

[Sjisty]

I had one of the metal waterers. I didn't like it. I could never seem to get it clean enough, plus, I like to give my chickens apple cider vinegar, which you can't do in metal waterers. I also have that big monster that you show in your first picture. It works fine, but is just too darned heavy!

I use the cheap 1-gallon waterers in my grow-out pens. I have replaced one or two over the years, but have some that I have had for 7-8 years and they still work perfectly.

In my adult pens, I purchased automatic watering bowls for dogs. We hooked them up, placed them on bricks to level them, and they work like a charm. I just use a toilet bowl brush to scrub them, rinse, and they are clean and always full. Of course, we're in Florida, so don't have a problem with anything freezing.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: Clean the lid and O ring thoroughly, and before you put the lid back on, put Vaseline or vegetable oil on the O ring to lubricate it.

Do NOT overtighten the lid

It MUST be clean and wet every time you reassemble it

 

[Sue Gremlin]

Clean the lid and O ring thoroughly, and before you put the lid back on, put Vaseline or vegetable oil on the O ring to lubricate it.

Do NOT overtighten the lid

It MUST be clean and wet every time you reassemble it

Thanks. I returned that waterer though, and am having trouble with the second one.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Many of the ones that use floats also use a "Schrader valve" to control flow.



The TINIEST amount of dirt will make it leak, or if it's not properly tightned inside the valve body it will leak

All the reviews I Iread on this model were NOT good at all

 

[chickchickens11]

You also could always fill a bowl of water and put it on the ground....or try putting you watered on cinder blocks

 

[chickengeorgeto]

The biggest reasons that the vacuum fountain drinkers fail is a dirty lid or seal that allows air to enter the water reservoir denying it a vacuum. The second reason is an uneven base that leaves the fill hole in the bottom portion higher than the water level which results in a continuous effort to fill the bottom portion until the water runs out. It all goes back to not being air tight.

 

[jimmywalt]

The biggest reasons that the vacuum fountain drinkers fail is a dirty lid or seal that allows air to enter the water reservoir denying it a vacuum. The second reason is an uneven base that leaves the fill hole in the bottom portion higher than the water level which results in a continuous effort to fill the bottom portion until the water runs out. It all goes back to not being air tight.

I live in Michigan too.

For the summer months try this.............. They are extremely easy to build!

 

[Sue Gremlin]

Thanks for the suggestions!

I think I will try this and lower an aquarium heater into it. I'll let you guys know how it works in the coldest part of the winter.

 

[Sue Gremlin]

OK, I purchased the above nipple type waterer. I don't think my chickens have a clue that they are supposed to drink out of those hangy things. I let their pan waterer go dry, thinking they'd be motivated to look around for water. I pushed the water tips in front of them and got water to drip out. They pecked at the water on the floor instead of the tips.

Will they eventually figure it out?