Best way to water the flock?

[lfreem2]

My nipples are leaking not from the sides, but the actual nipple itself. What I learned is that nipples cannot handle a high PSI--and with my 55 gallon barrel feeding the nipples, it's way too much water pressure so they will leak. Nipples need 0-5 PSI, so that simply won't work for me. I have purchased a Little Giant watering cup on Ebay that can handle up to 70 psi. When I get that sucker installed, I will put the photos and results here.

 

[DickGJ]

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Dang! I was headed the Little Giant Water Cup route until someone told me that the nipples are better. I have a 60 gallon barrel that I plan on using as the gravity feed source, and just recently bought 10 screw in nipples for use in a PVC pipe. Reading your post here...I'm suspect I'll end up in the same boat as you. Do you have your barrel elevated off the ground higher than the nipples? I wonder if it makes a difference placing it on the ground with the nipple line elevated some? I wonder if it makes a difference if you put the nipples in a larger PVC pipe like maybe a 2" pipe instead of a smaller diameter pipe. With a faucet on the barrel, I still don't understand how we could have too much pressure if you close the gate valve on the faucet to almost closed... I guess I'll have to do some experimentation this weekend. Please be sure to give us an update on the Little Giant...I probably should have held my ground on that gameplan!

 

[DJSams]

I too am debating about getting the Little Giant Bowl, one of my concerns is that they state that one will water 250 chicks, I just can't see one watering that many. does anyone know if one would water 250 chicks

 

[DickGJ]

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Not at once!

 

[lfreem2]

I got the Little Giant chick waterer rather than the regular sized one, based on that 250 bird descrip. It's slightly smaller than the regular sized one, and I figured when I raise chicks I'll be able to lower it for them to drink as well.

Closing or reducing the valve on the faucet has no bearing on water pressure. My barrel is on blocks, yes, as gravity feeding means the barrel needs to be higher than the nipple line. My nipples are only 6 inches higher than the base of the barrel, but 55 gallons of water (and my barrel is only half filled with water) is a lot of pressure. 1 gallon of water weighs 8.x pounds, after all.

It's not a terrible drip, but they do continually drip. I'd just prefer they don't drip at all, as I don't want a wet area that will contribute to bacteria and other likely issues.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

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It will work just fine, with a little understanding of how to set it up.

Suspend the watering line so you can adjust its height as the chickens grow.

Don't put the barrel too high, up in the rafters is too high. Lay the barrel on its side with the bottom side approximately the same height as the nipples. This will give you roughly 0" - 24" water column pressure depending upon how full the barrel is. On its side you'll get a narrower pressure range as the barrel empties as you are not raising the height of the water as high as with an upright drum.

Without an automatic regulator the height of the top of your water supply is the only thing that sets your pressure. If the water is 24" above the nipples, you have 24" of water column pressure. As the barrel empties, let's say you have 8" of water remaining above the nipples, you now have a water column pressure of 8". Any water stored below the height of the nipples is unusable. When the water level gets to to the same height as the nipples you have 0" of water column pressure and no flow. Water does not flow uphill.

Pipe size has nothing absolutely nothing to do with the pressure at such low flow rates. 3/4" is more than enough to handle the flow. I would suggest a diameter/wall thickness that provides some mechanical strength to it though. You don't want it bowing if the birds decide to use it for a perch.

I'm not sure how to explain that partially closing the supply valve has nothing to do with the pressure. For the most part it is a closed pipe with no flow (except for a droplet at a time). If the valve is open whatsoever the pressure will equalize across the valve. Only when the flow is greater than what the partially closed valve can provide will you get a pressure drop. That will never happen extracting the water a droplet at a time.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

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The pressure isn't causing them to leak. At the pressure you described (a couple feet of water column pressure, which is less than one PSI) the nipples might provide too much water each time a bird drinks, but won't cause them to leak. If they are leaking you have clogged or faulty nipples.

 

[DJSams]

@DickGJ

 

[lfreem2]

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The pressure isn't causing them to leak. At the pressure you described (a couple feet of water column pressure, which is less than one PSI) the nipples might provide too much water each time a bird drinks, but won't cause them to leak. If they are leaking you have clogged or faulty nipples.

MAC, I'm watching the birds drink and they are not getting too much water. Additionally, I cleared the line (nothing in it). I removed the concept of the water coming in from the rain gutter and covered the barrel entirely. Nothing in it but clean, clear water.

I did speak with a place selling the nipples, and they confirmed that too much water pressure would cause the nipples to leak. You basically need a pressure reducer to use these successfully or you need a small bucket of water to feed the line.

 

[lfreem2]

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Kobe, as per this thread, don't raise your bucket too high if you are using nipples, as it will cause more water pressure than the nipples can handle and potentially cause them to leak. Read this thread through entirely so you can understand what we're talking about.

I had mine rigged up to collect rain from my corrugated plastic roofing, but discontinued it because I found that the water was kinda foul smelling for some reason. I think the rain water mixing with all the leaves, stems, etc. gave off a funky odor. And I had a screen on the top of my barrel so no debris would enter, but the water coming off the roof itself was just icky. Also, don't do run off from a regular asphalt type roof, as those shingles contain toxins that would be bad for your birds.