Deluxe 5 gal waterer with 2 watering levels

[jimmywalt]

This is what I call my "Deluxe 5 gallon waterer". It has 2 heights - one for my ISA Browns and one for my Bantam.

This is really easy to make with a 1/2" x 10' piece of pvc pipe (thin wall), some pvc elebows and a cap.

I dry fitted everything just to make sure that I liked the height and length. Then I siliconed every spot that could possibly leak.

The bucket will be on the outside of my run which has 1/4" hardware cloth. This will make it easy to fill as needed. I only have 5 chickens so I don't think I'll need to fill it very often.

My only concern is algae in the water. Anyone have any solutions for that?

Here are the pics.

 

[disrhythmic]

That is awesome! We put spare bits of copper tubing in our waterers to prevent algae growth. Works wonders.

 

[StephieSky]

This is what I call my "Deluxe 5 gallon waterer". It has 2 heights - one for my ISA Browns and one for my Bantam.

This is really easy to make with a 1/2" x 10' piece of pvc pipe (thin wall), some pvc elebows and a cap.

I dry fitted everything just to make sure that I liked the height and length. Then I siliconed every spot that could possibly leak.

The bucket will be on the outside of my run which has 1/4" hardware cloth. This will make it easy to fill as needed. I only have 5 chickens so I don't think I'll need to fill it very often.

My only concern is algae in the water. Anyone have any solutions for that?

Here are the pics.

Nice I really like this one. I'm still kicking around ideas for a closed water system for my hens. This looks pretty easy to upkeep. I'd use a thin ring of copper wire around the entire inside of the water bucket to kill off the algea and prevent invaders and decay blooms. Copper is a natural antimicrobial. It doesn't take much to do the job and it even kills E. coli.

Did you use the GE 100% silicone adhesive for windows and doors w/o the mildew preventative?
Its the only reasonably priced one I know of you can use outdoors for when you want safe potable water.

 

[jimmywalt]

That's a great idea with the copper. I'll do that.

I used the silicone that you use in the bathroom around tubs, sinks, etc.

 

[StephieSky]

Its probably fine.
I just had to build an aquarium once and in talking to all of the pros who diy custom tanks for rays or monster fish, GE windows and doors was the only one they recommended as non toxic to fish that wasn't ridiculously expensive. Its the same exact formula they use for their food grade silicone, just without the QA and QC during production runs.

 

[Mrwinchester]

You can always try copper sulfide, it's used in stock tanks ext. for just that reason. I use it in my pool keeps it clear all year .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper_sulfide

I bought some at the local drug store.