Does anyone use a rain barrel?

[jmk3482]

I'm not sure where this post is supposed to go, but it is chicken related...

I don't have an outside hose connection. So anytime my chickens run out of water, I have to tote it from the house, which only about 50 foot, but still it's every three days and I would LOVE to have a hose outside for the multitude of uses. Right now, putting one in, is not an option, so I was looking at rain barrels that have a hose connection on the bottom and are gravity fed. I was thinking it would be very useful and I wouldn't use it every day so 1 barrel would probably do it.

Does anyone have rain barrels? How do you like them? How is yours set up? Do you set it on the ground or on a platform? How do you prevent the water from going bad or mosquitoes from growing in it?

Thanks for you help!!

 

[ncgnance]

I do not, at this time, have any rain barrels, but as soon as I can locate some, I plan to use two, one at the chicken coop and one at the greenhouse. I'm putting up gutters to catch the roof runoff to use. The barrels will need to be food grade plastic with lids. I can do the rest to make them useable. After last summer, every drop of water counts here in NC.

 

[banter]

I want one too-I was trying to think of a way to filter/strain the water at the barrel. Some kind of screen going into it?

 

[Southern28Chick]

Quote:
Amen. DH is talking about getting some and catching the gutter run off. It'll help with my huge veggie garden this summer. That is IF we get any rain.

 

[jmk3482]

Well, I saw an ad on craigs list for a rain barrel and it says it has a screen, but I figured the mosquitoes could still get in?

I've also read you can put cheese cloth over the opening to prevent mosquitoes but the water you are collecting is still technically not potable (drinkable) for people. But chickens drink water from containers that have their own poo in it so I'm assuming the rain water would be ok for them.

 

[ncgnance]

You can use screen over the top, or you can make a fitting for the downspout of the gutter to fit into the hole in the lid . I'm not sure yet just how to attach a water hose to the barret, but I'll figure it out, unless some of you already have. Oh, and I hear that Mt Olive Pickle Co. has big barrels like what we're looking for.

 

[jmk3482]

http://www.cityofbremerton.com/content/sw_makeyourownrainbarrel.html

Look what I found!

 

[banter]

That's great-Thanks! I bookmarked it.

 

[@migocontodos]

I currently have one rain barrel in use. It's at the corner of the house catching run off water.
It's a "backup" for the tomatoes and squash plants we plant in the flower beds.
It does not have a "tap" on the bottom, I just dip the water out the top.

While in Mexico I saw several "water barrels" on top of houses but they are larger than the 55 gallon barrels I am talking about. The people there have hoses run from springs up in the mountains that dump into the barrels. It's by no means hot water but it's warm after the sun hits it and stays on it for the better part of the day. Sure made for a good shower after I'd not had one for 3 days. lol

 

[MissPrissy]

I would love to have rain barrels. In all honesty I refuse to pay the going rate of $80 - $100 for one around here. I want a dozen of them to collect rain for my garden this summer. I WISH I could find some 50 gal food grade drums!!