Best Automatic Waterer

[Timmy]

they sale a couple different mounts, they are kinda spendy, but shouldn't be hard to make one of your own.
http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/automatic_water_bowls.html

 

[twentynine]

Real cheap, real easy.

5 gallon bucket, 5" hole (s) cut in the side, water trough float, hoes run through the lid.

had the bucket, had the hose, bought the float for $12.

 

[pampered_poultry]

Great set up ...however I would think we would have some small issues with this waterer -

1) This system would hold a couple gallons of water in an environment that would welcome algae. This is in turn would require you to break down the system, dump the water, and scrub clean the bucket. This would take 15 min or more.

2) I personally don't like large pools of water like this 'holding' in a containment system. The reason here is that it invites parasites and other microorganisms (bacteria) that could cause problems. In addition dirt and trash will accommodate in this system and will require cleaning. The water system that hold 2 to 5 gallons of water have an advantage here in that the water is rotated.

The system I posted has the advantage in that it holds at any time a couple of teaspoons of water. If you want to clean it you can just wipe your figure down in the cup and drag out the foreign objects....or you could simple twist off the cups and wipe it clean with a rag and re-install. Either can be done in less than a minute and their is no large heavy volumes of water that you have to dump or containers to scrub free of algae. In addition - the water 'rotates' quickly and fresh water is on demand. I would estimate that the water is 'rotated' two or three times a day - depending on your flock size.

I like keeping water in a contained environment (concealed inside the PVC pipe under/above ground) until I actually need it. I just don't like large pools of water like this because it requires too much labor to clean and invites the problems I mentioned above.

Further - I like a clean environment, and I stress the need to keep pens clean and dry....probably cleaner than most pens out there. I find that my system helps me keep a clean environment

One last thing on a water system being labor intensive - the system that I posted above can be cleaned/managed by someone that does not physically have the ability to manage tugging on heavy buckets of water (1 gallon of water weights a little less than 10 lbs). I probably spend less than 5 minutes in just over a month on watering 10 pens. I have a low pressure water gauge monitoring my system - and simply put - if I have 3 - 5 lbs of water pressure - my turkeys/chickens have water and there is no need to enter the pen.

However - if your system works in your application ...GREAT! But if you ever was to try the watering system that I sell - you would be sold.

Take care,
Richard

 

[twentynine]

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[savilcr]

well aside from all that, I set up the little giant last night and just ran the hose through the chicken wire and hung it about chest level for the chicks and it works great.

 

[pampered_poultry]

Hey - not knocking your system by no means - if it works for you - then great!! I have installed about 5 different ideas of watering systems and the cups that I put together worked the best hands down.

On the reserve water you mentioned below - I have one customer that bought a 15 gallon drum with a concealed lid and placed it about 5 feet high on posts (however you can use the bucket like you did for reserve). The total weight filled is just under 150 lbs - so all he did was set up some 4x4 posts in a rectangle and placed 2 x 4's as the runners inbetween. He fills his 15 gallon tank up and then uses the PVC cup system without the regulator. I will try to get a picture of his system and post in a few days. He services two pens (with cut offs and water hoses between the PVC and the tank) and about 35 birds on this system.

The PVC cup system with the regular would have to have a consistent water supply and yes if the power went out - you do have a water issue. I am on well water and very rare that the power goes out - but about once or twice a year when it does - I grab some small 3 gallon waterers for temporary use. The last time the power was out for about 3 hrs and the birds were fine until we got power back on. I have about 125 birds on this system separated in each pen.

The system is $ 39 for a two cup system. Then you probably have about $ 20 or so in misc items such as a reserve tank ($ 5 here) and some hoses. The wood need most people have laying around in scrap from a project. The install time is about an hour. This can water about 40 birds or so.

I was very disappointed in the Little Giants - I just knew this was the best system - esp when you do not have to convert to a low pressure system (strong selling point). I have several friends that have had 150 + chickens on Little Giants and they all stated that was an expensive investment that over time requires maintenance to the internal working o rings and parts. It drove them crazy.

On an ending note - I should have my website up soon and I will be posting several pics and some videos on the watering, feeding, housing, and operation of our coop. Granted I know it is not the cheapest coop around - however there are ideas that I hope people can gain and apply to their current set up.

Take care and hope to see you around in the forums!



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[tums20]

Had a Little Giant Chicken Waterer which kept dripping or getting dry depending on how it was adjusted.....

Put in a Lixit Faucet Dog Waterer ($7 at Petsmart) on some PVC pipe 3/4 threaded I believe


Pvc comes up about 18 " then 2 90 degree turns and straight down to it
My 5 hens have used it for a year and a half ... no issue

Did have to "train them" but in the matter of survival.. once one learned it had water the other 4 caught on quick

 

[BellevueOmlet]

I agree. Whe water cups are the best. They provide a cup for them to drink with but do not collect much debris.

 

[sassifrassi]

Quote:
I bought the same waterer but have yet to install it. I was just going put it on the end of a hose and run it to the coop. Did you have to use a water pressure reducer valve when you hooked it up? Or does the waterer already have something like that in it. I'm just afraid of blasting my chickens with water.

Thanks,
Michelle

 

[seahoob]

No need for fighting. After all we are just throwing out ideas. I like to hear from people that have used the nipple system and have someone explain to me how it works. I just get my water bowl knocked over or full of poo if I don't check it daily.