Auto Waterer

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There are a variety of auto waterer systems on the market, you just have to be careful whether you're buying one meant to run off low pressure (e.g. gravity fed) or high pressure (e.g. what your hose will supply unless you add a regulator valve).

However, before you get too excited, realize that pretty much all auto waterer systems consist of a tradeoff between constant regular maintenance (refilling and frequent cleaning) versus occasional giant flood emergency management. Eventually something sticks 'on', or breaks, or leaks, and you have aquatic chickens. As long as your coop will withstand this sort of abuse and you don't mind the occasional surprise factor (it is best to have spare parts already on hand, and a couple bales of shavings to soak up the mess!), auto waterers can be a good thing, just make sure you know what you're getting into
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Have fun,

Pat
 
I use the automatic trough from M McM, I went to the site so I could attach a link, but they don't sell it anymore.

It works great for me since I have an "open" floor coop, I don't have to worry about water spilling, but to be safe, I use a timer attached to the hose bib, it comes on 8 times a day for 2 minutes. If the valve on the float was to fail, I wont loose much water. I check it twice a day, AM and PM. If the timer failed, I will discover it with at least 10-12 hours. The odds that the would use all the water in the trough in that time is slim.

If I were to do it again, I think that I would try the low presure water cups. It would be less of an area to clean. You don't need much "storage" (size of the bowl or trough) for the water if it is autmatic.
 
I received a reply from Osprey LTD. They make the" Mini Cup Drinker "that I want to try and use for an automatic watering system. A price for the 12 units ordered and shipping costs are being calculated. They are also looking for a distributor in the U.S.A. They are in the UK. I plan to use these mini waterers with a mini float valve ( to maintain the water level in my 5 gallon or so reservoir) such as those made by Keric Valve inc. or Robert manufacturing Co. The cost for the entire unit should be modest and completely automatic as well as simple to fabricate. I will keep everyone posted and will send pictures if everything works as planned.

PS. Offspring, Osprey LTD is in the UK. The system I am working on will be hooked up to the "water tap".

try, http://www.bec.uk.com/indexmcd.html will take you to the Mini Cup Drinker site.
 
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I was wondering if you have recvd these cups from Osprey and how they are working out.
 
I used a 5 gallon bucket, installed a regular toilet float valve from the bottom. Then I bought the nipple drinkers from FarmTek and put 4-5 of those into the bottom of the buckets near the edge. You connect the toilet valve to a hose that would normally connect the toilet valve to the water supply line in the wall of your house. Just be sure to get the one that has one end with a fitting that matches the size of your garden hose. Connect it to your garden hose and voila! an auto waterer!!! If you tap the nipples a bit and get water to hang on the nipple you can generally get a few of the chickens to get the idea. The rest will follow.

For the winter I'm planning on putting a submersible bird bath water heater in the bucket.

In the heat of our summer I'm still not willing to take away their other source of water. But they really like the nipple bucket because I can put blue ice packs or frozen water bottles in there to keep it cool even on the hottest days.

And the nipples don't leak. And you are actually supposed to leave the lid loose on the container so that a vacuum does not form, preventing the water from flowing out through the nipples. No more pounding lids on 5 gallon buckets with a hammer or turning full buckets upside down in a pan!

If you have a small flock, just a few birds (as we do with our silkies, just a few in a separate coop) you can use 1 gallon jugs and just order extra nipples so you can have an extra to exchange for fresh each morning. Nipples to fit thin-walled plastic containers can be ordered with a rubber grommet to make a complete seal to the container.

The nipples (called poultry drinkers on the FarmTek site) are relatively inexpensive ($1.99 US) but the shipping is a bit steep. So order appropriately, maybe a few extra.
 

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