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?

 

[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.

 

[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]

Ah, okay thabks. Had never seen that abbreviation vefore

 

[blackdog043]

If you have the space, use a 5 gallon waterer. You will probably only have to refill it once a week.

I use horizontal nipples for my waterers. It keeps the water from getting dirty. I currently use two 14 gallon drums, that I top off once a week for 22 hens. When I go away, I don't have to worry if they have water and if it is clean. If you live in a cold climate, you will need to keep the water from freezing also. Below is a link for my heated waterer article.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ock-tank-deicer-and-horizontal-nipples.74609/

The saucer is to catch the water when they drink, the nipples don't drip .

 

[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.

 

[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?