Best chicken waterer?

[CPT]

Hi all!

Since spring is upon us, I'm looking for a really good chicken waterer. The ones that I got last year, (they were the large plastic ones) got so plagued with algae (I even put some drops StockTrine inside, but don't think that helped )

any suggestions would be great.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

How many birds are you watering? Is the area the waterer will be placed covered, shaded or exposed? How frequently do you want to attend to it? Are you able to fill in place (hose) or must you carry water to the location or waterer to a water source to fill? Do you intend to use this waterer year round and need to consider keeping it thawed in winter?

 

[blackdog043]

Good questions by Ol Grey. Once we know more info we can help you better. Was your current waterer in the sun, when it was getting algae?

 

[GC-Raptor]

I use a 2 gallon galvanized fount with a homemade heated base for nearly two years and I'm very happy with it. . I clean once a week and its still about half full for 5 hens. It's in the coop. I also have a rubber bowl under the raised coop in winter and a 60 oz pail the rest of the year. I also have a two gallon galvanized pan in the pen during a heat wave in their 500 square foot pen. GC

 

[chickens really]

Algae growth is cosmetic and looks icky but won't harm the Birds. I use a big plastic font in summer and a Rubber livestock bowl in winter.

 

[CPT]

I use a plastic one.....we have shade around the farm, but the sun moves throughout the day, so I would have to move around the waterer, which I don't want to do. I keep it close by the spigot, which is in front of the coop. But, I do move the waterer nearby, so that I can fill it up with the hose if needed.

 

[blackdog043]

What if you made a shelter to put your water under, to keep it in the shade all day? As long as you like your waterer, but not the algae, this should work.
I use a 5 gallon bucket with a gamma lid and horizontal nipples.

 

[BellevueOmlet]

I think the Beaktime drinker cups are the best since they leave water in the cup that the chickens can see and easily drink. They also don't drip like nipple waterers and can be hooked up to any size container. I use two 5 gallon buckets so I don't have to add more water as often.