Best Waterer for Small Flock

[_Kelley_]

Hi all you cool chicks and chickens. I have a small flock of 4.5 chickens (.5 because one is bantam, I didn't know what I was doing and the lady at the feed store gave me a bantam. But it worked out. Blanche our bantam RR is a happy girl.)
Anyhow, I need suggestions on a waterer for my small flock. There is no structure across the top of the run that would support a hanging waterer so I plan to elevate it with cement blocks. I'm thinking a 1 gallon waterer should do it? any suggestions?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I think a 3-5 would be safer, but not cheaper. My 5 gallon is nice because I fill it once and even in Summer I get to occasionally skip a day of hauling 5 gallon jugs down to water them

 

[reddogmaster2]

We've got a couple of plastic (Harris Farm I think?) 3.5 gallon waterers and one small 5 quart waterer placed around the coop. We can go 2 or 3 days without filling them up and they hold up well.

I am looking at upgrading to 5 gallon buckets or some sort of rain catchment system off the roof.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

We've got a couple of plastic (Harris Farm I think?) 3.5 gallon waterers and one small 5 quart waterer placed around the coop. We can go 2 or 3 days without filling them up and they hold up well.

I am looking at upgrading to 5 gallon buckets or some sort of rain catchment system off the roof.

Just a heads up so you know beforehand, some roof materials can release toxins into water when it rains so it's not always very safe to supply water from your roof to birds

 

[Ryguy3684]

If you have a fence, or hardware cloth, on the side of your run, I would recommend the Rent-a-coop pvc waterer. Here's a link.
https://shoprentacoop.com/collections/waterers-and-feeders/products/pvc-waterer

It hooks to the side of the run with provided hooks. They have a nice, no mess feeder also.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I have Galvanized waterers, a two and a three gallon.
I put them on three 12"x 12" stepping stones.
In the winter I put them on a heated base.
You can't add ACV to them though.

GC

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I have Galvanized waterers, a two and a three gallon.
I put them on three 12"x 12" stepping stones.
In the winter I put them on a heated base.
You can't add ACV to them though.View attachment 2225472
GC

What's ACV?

 

[GC-Raptor]

What's ACV?

Apple cider vinegar.
Many use the organic with the mother.
I've never used it. GC

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Ah, okay thabks. Had never seen that abbreviation vefore

 

[Acre4Me]

Exactly as @GC-Raptor said, except I have the larger 5 gallon waterer. We also elevate on blocks -get solid blocks bc you don’t want to provide hidey-holes for rodents. We prop a large sheet of OSB in front of it with room for chickens to get around it so that the waterer stays shaded. We add an additional 5 Qt Bell waterer in another location. Always good to have 2 feed/water stations in case bullying occurs.