Bucket waterer with nipples

[Chicken Outlaw]

I have some nipples on their way but I've seen some posts about the buckets being too heavy when hanging.
So I was thinking about this & was wondering if you criss crossed something (like chain maybe) under the bucket between the nipples all the way back up to the top & also hung it on the hook with the handle if that would help relieve some of the weight off the handle?

 

[Rich386]

I have some nipples on their way but I've seen some posts about the buckets being too heavy when hanging.
So I was thinking about this & was wondering if you criss crossed something (like chain maybe) under the bucket between the nipples all the way back up to the top & also hung it on the hook with the handle if that would help relieve some of the weight off the handle?

I think that it depends on the bucket. The 3 gal. buckets are a lot thinner than the 5 gal buckets so can easily handle the weight. In the next few days I will have a float valve assembly that you hook to any water source. That will let you put as little as a 1 gal. in the bucket but it will always be full. Price will be something less than $30.00 and will post in Buy Sell and Trade.


Just food for thought.

 

[Our Roost]

I wish I had discovered the horizontal watering nipples before I constructed mine. Mine are vertical and protrude out the bottom of the bucket. Some food for thought here, I purchased a wall mount hanging plant bracket to mount a water pail outside the coop in my run area. It supports a 5 gallon bucket very well. Home depot was my source for both the pail and bracket. Also, for those of you having seal leaks and or drips, purchase a tube of gutter sealant and run a bead around the water nipple where it meets the bucket.

Your 3 gallon bucket picture is a great alternative to a water feeder that gets really messy. Great idea! Less maintenance.

 

[DeerFangRanch]

Can you take a picture of the bracket from Home Depot for us?

 

[truckguy]

I have the ones that are vertical also. I used a 3 gallon water jug. the birds at this time have no idea how to use them yet. it's their first day and im not too worried about them figuring them out.

 

[Our Roost]

 

[Our Roost]

Sorry I can't make this picture larger!

 

[debid]

I have a five-gallon in the coop and it is very heavy if filled completely. I used some sturdy chain and hooks to hang from two rafters. The handle has migrated a bit through the plastic lip of the bucket but stopped when it reached the Gamma Seal lid we put on to make it easier to keep dust and debris out while still being easy to open wide for cleaning. I have also seen pictures of washers sandwiching where the handle attaches to reinforce that point. I considered installing a chain circle around the bucket that was too small to go past the lip if the handle ever fails. A couple of quick links could move the point of attachment. Or, even a basket constructed of heavy nylon strapping could work. There is always a solution.

 

[truckguy]

For now I used a 3 gallon water jug that you can get at Walmart for about 6 bucks.

 

[akb77]

For mine I got 2 U-Bolts and attached them about 1 inch down from the top of the bucket on each side and linked a chain onto each one and suspended it from a hook in the rafter. No signs of stress on the plastic and it keeps everything flexible for any future rearrangments.