Colorado

[COChix]

My parents got this from some friends that were in Mexico during the day of dead celebration.

GO BRONCOS!!!!!!

 

[COChix]

I use the horizontal nipples located about 2 inches up from the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket. I LOVE them! I use a submersible heating element that comes on for 40 seconds at a time any time the water temp drops below 40 degrees F. The chickens had no problems figuring the nipples out after switching over from the standard 1 gallon floor type watering system. I HAVE had nipples freeze up at night when the temps were 10-15 below zero. When I feed them in the morning, I just hit a couple with my finger tip to make sure they are working. If they do freeze up, the heat from your fingers will melt the ice and it'll be back to working order in minutes. I've never found them frozen in the evening after I come home from work, no matter what the temp is. I obviously have the bucket lids on and cut a hole through the center for the cord to come out. When the heater isn't installed, I still had several drilled holes through the lids to allow air flow. I have silly chickens that like to roost on top of the bucket when it's really cold. I guess that warmth is better than being cold up on the roost... It hasn't caused any frost/freeze damage to her comb or wattles from the humidity coming out of the top of the bucket. Other pullets get up there during the day, and I have roos that like to get on top of them to crow. So I do get poo on the lids, but very little ends up in the bucket. You can see one of the nipples in this pic. You can also see the holes I drilled in the lid. They got connected into one larger hole so the plug for the heater could fit through. I placed some broken up concrete paver in the bottom under the heat element to keep it off the plastic bottom, and to act as a heat sink to hold the heat a little better than just the water. Hope this helps.

How is your electric bill for running the submersible heaters? Are you running them with a thermal cube or does the heater have a built in thermostat? I am considering this heater based on Pdirt's review https://www.backyardchickens.com/pr...-250-watt-removable-floater-ring/reviews/9560

 

[samsr]

...

Holy smokes, that's a lot of chickens! If I can get some hatching eggs going, you have a deal! I'm running a test hatching on my eggs next month, so I'll definitely be keeping a record of how things go with that here & on my animal blog - http://www.aflockbetweenpastures.com. Right now, the eggs would be Silver Sebright/Golden Laced Polish mix if that's something you'd be interested in.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that I would love to see a picture of him but don't feel like you have to go out of you way to get one! I don't want to create work for you,
I've also been thinking about this watering system for the new coops/runs. Is it hard for the chickens to move from a watering dish to nipples or is it pretty easy for them to figure out? I'm definitely installing the PVC style feeders since they look like they produce less wasted food than the store bought feeder I have now.[/quote
Here is a pic of the phoenix. He is a nice guy.

 

[samsr]

Got a couple of free roosters to a good home. Otherwise they are destined for freezer camp. One barred rock cross, one pretty brahma, and one unknown cross. All are friendly and healthy. So all in all each are good roosters.

 

[Latestarter]

Hey all: The chickens are smarter than many give them credit for... They had NO problem figuring out the nipples at all. When I first hung the buckets, their natural curiosity had them coming over to peck at the pretty red plastic "flowers" with the shiny metal center. I also pushed them (nipples) in with my finger tip and the birds came running to see what those shiny things were that dripped. Of course it was the water dripping and from there on, they just "got it". I've heard rumors that older chickens have a harder time figuring it out and adapting, but I think that may have been due to the owner leaving the old watering system in place at the same time. If you give them no choice, then they HAVE no choice and will use the nipples.

As for the electric bill, I have absolutely no idea at all. I pay the bill and that's that... I'm sure they use more electricity than a 250 watt unit as they are 1500 watt. But then that may NOT be the case over time as they won't need to run as long or as often to heat the water and maintain 40 degrees

I would guess that a 250 watt unit may have to run almost continuously at zero degrees to keep the water liquid, while the 1500 watt unit might not have to (in a full 5 gallon bucket). You don't need a thermal cube as there is an automatic on/off feature based on that 40 degree F temp. If the water goes below 40 degrees F, the heater comes on & switches on and off at 40 second intervals to get the temp back up to 40 degrees. This is a submersible unit so sinks to the bottom of the bucket.

The temp probe is located right above the heating element. Since warmer water rises, I would guess that the water at the bottom of the bucket is the coldest so the element should cause a "water current" and naturally circulate the water based on temp.





Edited for grammar and spelling

 

[uzisuzuki]

Here is a pic of the phoenix. He is a nice guy.

Oh, he's pretty! And huge! LOL I'm getting too used to my little guy. As far as a trade for hatching eggs, do you want me to PM you to hash that out? Like I said previously, all I've got right now are SebrightxPolish & I won't know for sure how good fertility is or what the chicks look like until I test hatch next month. If you'd like Phoenix hatching eggs, I am reaching out to a few hatcheries about their stock & getting a few pullets to start my own breeding but any eggs from them probably wouldn't happen until later this year (& I'd feel super bad about making someone wait that long for a trade). Just let me know how you'd like to work this out because I would definitely like to take him in when the coop/runs are set up.

I'm pretty excited to have narrowed down the breeds I'd like to work on my own line of and that I don't have to redesign my coop plan too radically to accommodate a good start. Now, I just need to work on the Ayam Cemani & Dwarf Olandsk (& maybe some pheasant if my dad has his way)! So exciting! Anyone else that's working on breeding - if you have any starter tips, I would welcome them!

 

[COChix]

Hey all: The chickens are smarter than many give them credit for... They had NO problem figuring out the nipples at all. When I first hung the buckets, their natural curiosity had them coming over to peck at the pretty red plastic "flowers" with the shiny metal center. I also pushed them (nipples) in with my finger tip and the birds came running to see what those shiny things were that dripped. Of course it was the water dripping and from there on, they just "got it". I've heard rumors that older chickens have a harder time figuring it out and adapting, but I think that may have been due to the owner leaving the old watering system in place at the same time. If you give them no choice, then they HAVE no choice and will use the nipples. As for the electric bill, I have absolutely no idea at all. I pay the bill and that's that... I'm sure they use more electricity than a 250 watt unit as they are 1500 watt. But then that may NOT be the case over time as they won't need to run as long or as often to heat the water and maintain 40 degrees I would guess that a 250 watt unit may have to run almost continuously at zero degrees to keep the water liquid, while the 1500 watt unit might not have to (in a full 5 gallon bucket). You don't need a thermal cube as there is an automatic on/off feature based on that 40 degree F temp. If the water goes below 40 degrees F, the heater comes on & switches on and off at 40 second intervals to get the temp back up to 40 degrees. This is a submersible unit so sinks to the bottom of the bucket. The temp probe is located right above the heating element. Since warmer water rises, I would guess that the water at the bottom of the bucket is the coldest so the element should cause a "water current" and naturally circulate the water based on temp. Edited for grammar and spelling

Thanks for all the feedback and detailed info about your water situation. You bring up some good points on the heaters. Still trying t decide....

 

[Double Kindness]

I candled my eggs just now and so eggcited that one of my ee's Agnes egg I saw an eye!!

The white bresse hatching eggs should be here tomorrow. Fluffy butts should hatch in a week or so?!? I'm needing to set up my other incubator for hatching. After I put in the bresse eggs, no more hatching for me except ee's until the cemani start laying. Tomorrow I put a calcium feeder in where the ducks, cemani and bresse can get to it. My 2 oldest cemani roos are relentlessly all over Wobbles my slw.

 

[uzisuzuki]

I candled my eggs just now and so eggcited that one of my ee's Agnes egg I saw an eye!!

The white bresse hatching eggs should be here tomorrow. Fluffy butts should hatch in a week or so?!? I'm needing to set up my other incubator for hatching. After I put in the bresse eggs, no more hatching for me except ee's until the cemani start laying. Tomorrow I put a calcium feeder in where the ducks, cemani and bresse can get to it. My 2 oldest cemani roos are relentlessly all over Wobbles my slw.

That's so fun & exciting! Making me want to jump the gun on my hatching! LOL

 

[COChix]

Got a couple of free roosters to a good home. Otherwise they are destined for freezer camp. One barred rock cross, one pretty brahma, and one unknown cross. All are friendly and healthy. So all in all each are good roosters.

Pretty boys, that Brahma is a big boy!