DIY WATERER

[mpoland33]

So I have an opinion question for everyone? I'm looking/pondering building a waterer with PVC and some nipples.

I have 2 questions:

- My idea is to run the line out to a rain barrel for easy water but also leave a hole for me to fill manually. What is the easy way for me to line the PVC up to get through the welded wire? probably the 1/2" (havent bought any yet- still in building stages of coop)

- what does everyone do during the winter for these waterers with freezing? I dont have electric out at the coop

 

[Smuvers Farm]

Tagging @Molpet @aart @RonP

 

[Molpet]

where are you at and how cold does it get? I get down to -25f and use black rubber bowls.

 

[aart]

What is your climate?
Good idea to put your location in your profile.

If using piping, you're going to need heat in reservoir and a circulating pump to keep them from freezing. Some folks have done it, but it's an overly complicated system IMO. I pondered it for a long time but went with jug and HN's(Horizontal Nipples).
HN's will resist freezing much better than VN's(Vertical Nipples).

This is my setup, good to -12f so far.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-heated-waterer-with-horizontal-nipples.67256/

Rain barrel feed for summer might be great.....too complicated to clean IMO, I'd rather carry out the 1/2 to 1 gallon of water my 15-30 birds drink a day.

 

[mpoland33]

Thanks. I'm in MAryland. We got down to 0 the other week, wind chill in the negative teens..but that's maybe one week out of the winter...most of the time it's the nights get down to the teens, days in the 30's...nothing exciting. I'll only have 6 hens.

I like the idea of the heater..but looks like electric...which i don't have .

If it's only that much/little they drink I think I might be better off carrying the water out too.

But i would still fight the freeze. Does anyone have 2 or 3 - 5 gallon bucket setups with nipples and rotate during the cold or not worth it? My coop is set up to be at the bottom of my property under some tree cover.

 

[Molpet]

Thanks. I'm in MAryland. We got down to 0 the other week, wind chill in the negative teens..but that's maybe one week out of the winter...most of the time it's the nights get down to the teens, days in the 30's...nothing exciting. I'll only have 6 hens.

I like the idea of the heater..but looks like electric...which i don't have .

If it's only that much/little they drink I think I might be better off carrying the water out too.

But i would still fight the freeze. Does anyone have 2 or 3 - 5 gallon bucket setups with nipples and rotate during the cold or not worth it? My coop is set up to be at the bottom of my property under some tree cover.

I do have one coop with chicks that I have a 2gallon horizontal nipples. I take it in when it freezes... The hoop coop has a clear tarp and on a sunny day it freezes in late afternoon

 

[blackdog043]

Does anyone have 2 or 3 - 5 gallon bucket setups with nipples and rotate during the cold

I have a de-icer in mine, but if your home enough to switch your water out you could do that. Some use the black rubber bowls and dump the ice out and refill.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

For your usual temps you might avoid freezing by popping a hot rice bag in a cookie tin inside an insulating box of some sort(maybe a small tire with spray foam insulation?) and setting the water on it. Bet that would last the day for you.

 

[pennyJo1960]

So I have an opinion question for everyone? I'm looking/pondering building a waterer with PVC and some nipples.

I have 2 questions:

- My idea is to run the line out to a rain barrel for easy water but also leave a hole for me to fill manually. What is the easy way for me to line the PVC up to get through the welded wire? probably the 1/2" (havent bought any yet- still in building stages of coop)

- what does everyone do during the winter for these waterers with freezing? I dont have electric out at the coop

I use plain old buckets 5 gallon with Horizontal nipples .. you would need to run a line from your box to the coop as I use aquarium heaters keeping two from freezing

 

[mpoland33]

great ideas, thanks