autmotic watering system

[msf]

I am working on an automatic watering system for my coop/pen. Does anyone have a suggestion or experience with a float type shut off valve that will work in a 5 gallon bucket? I'd really appreciate a recommendation. Michael

 

[BellevueOmlet]

You can use a standard style toilet float valve on the bucket

 

[wyododge]

Quote:
Good idea, but what are you going to do if the valve starts leaking...

Our system is semi-automatic. We flip a light switch to fill our five gallon bucket. If you need more time between fills, you might look into a 10 gallon bucket, or 55 gallon drum. But my experience with float valves for stock tanks, and even toilets is they will leak.

You could set up a drip into the 5 gallon bucket, that would allow the bucket level to fluctuate a bit, lower in the day and slowly fill at night. Might take some adjusting every know and then but if it were to over fill, it would not be a large quantity of water on the floor/ground.

 

[TN_BIRD]

I can't help but think this is a good and simple idea. You can find those jugs in the store (heck...if all you wanted was a 1 gallon reservoir then you could use a milk jug)

make some holes in the 5 gallon bucket and tip the water jug into the bucket. Drill a hole 1 or 2 inches up the neck of the jug depending on how deep you want the water to be (just make sure the hole in the neck of the jug is lower than the hole in your 5 gallon bucket)

About the only thing that limits the capacity of this one would be how big of an air tight container you could get. Once again, I think those big blue water cooler jugs would work nicely with something like this.

 

[ChickInDelight]

Check out Little Giant Poultry and Fowl Waterers. I love mine. Not sure how I will handle winter freeze, but thinking heat lamp in the house.

Chickens' is up high but don't think they use it.

Ducks' is down low - don't think you can see it here. They fill it with sand, but it is o-so-ez to self-rinse.