Building waters

[leck8]

I'm wanting to build a watering system using the poultry nipples does any body have any good ideas on how to do this and how many nipples I'll need for 28 chickena also can I use shredded paper for nesting material in nesting boxes? Thanks in advance

 

[HappyJoyAcres]

I have 12 chickens and 2-5 gallon buckets with 4 nipples on the bottom of each bucket. I hang them from the ceiling of the coop, added chain to hold them 2-2.5ft off the ground. I live in Kansas. On cold days I have a 5 gallon water heater placed in each bucket to keep it from freezing. On the 15 or below days I add a heat lamp to shine on the bottom of the buckets to keep the nipples from freezing. The girls are happy little campers.

 

[leck8]

Ok thanks I also live in kansas so I'll have to look into the heaters

 

[RJSorensen]

Please consider using horizontal nipples, if you are not doing so already. They look like this and work in a heated bucket very well. I have, as do you, two of these five gallon buckets with horizontal nipples heated with bucket heaters, as shown below.



We have only been down to -20 F this year, and they both worked just fine, at least at my place. On the shredded paper for the nest box, I do not, but I do understand it to be ok to use. Regarding the number of nipples, I think they say four or so birds per nipple. I like to use five or more, so as to extend the number of birds and uses for 'odd' occurrences as bird keepers seem to often have. I a bunch in the photograph shown below. I was trying to water eighty banty birds from one bucket, and it just gets used wherever it is needed. No problem with too many, but not enough seems to defeat the purpose.



Best to you and your birds,

RJ

 

[poultry pappa]

That, my friend is quite a coop! I like those horizontal nipples, I'll look for some myself. 6 hens, I'll go with three nipples. Odd numbers are amazing

 

[RJSorensen]

Thank you so very much, I have thirteen nipples on the bucket noted. Odd numbers are amazing… and quite useful.

Best to your and your flock,

RJ

 

[dakotafig]

RJ, where did you get those lids you have over your waterer bucket and feeder?

 

[mo2872]

Those "lids" look like squirrel deterrents for hanging bird feeders to me. I've been wrong before, though, so........??

 

[RJSorensen]

Hello all, the lids are called The Gamma Seal Lid. They come in many colors, eight I believe. You can see them on Amazon here ~ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007KAZ1W0...olid=3ETRWQ0PUDXWE&coliid=I5BAQRTE2NT31&psc=1

I use them because the weight of a full five gallon bucket tends to want to pull in the top of the buckets. These are used for food storage and such around my area. I got them for just under five dollars locally. They are spendy on Amazon, but the description is good and etc. I have winter lids with a hole in the top for my heater cord, as you have seen above. In the non freezing months I unscrew the lid from the rim and put on one with just a small vent hole.

I also like them because I can fill them up and take them out to the coop without any noticeable spillage. The lid just keeps the water where it should be. The wife likes to do red and green for the Christmas season, red and blue for July, and green in March, orange in the fall, that sort of thing. It is easy to mix and match the lids. Now I have red rims for Februarys Valentines day. We just think it a nice touch to match the season with the different rims and screw in lids. But I got into them for the no spill, keep the bucket round aspect.

Best to you and your birds,

RJ

Edit: I see I replied to the wrong question, those metal lids are made by Little Giant, are about three dollars each and do a nice job of keeping the birds from messing in and or on their feed and water. I have a 'lid' for all of my feeders/water buckets in all my coops. I got them at my local farm store IFA & Cal Ranch in my area. They might be on Amazon, but as per the water lids above, they cost a lot more, due to shipping single units. Some items are cheaper local than in the mail.

Good luck, you will like either item.

 

[dakotafig]

Yeah, the screw on bucket lid is like $6 at menards here. I was asking about the cone shaped metal lid you use to keep the birds off the top of the buckets and feeder.

I should have been more specific.