frozen chicken waterer

[oxfordethan]

I read on BYC about using frozen jugs of water to keep the girls cool. I set a half gallon milk jug on its side under the coop, where my 2 hens hang out most of the day. We set it out in the a.m. and it's melted by the time we get home to let them out to free-range. Then...I got an idea about a frozen auto waterer. Here's the prototype. Half gallon frozen milk jug held in place with some bungees (If it works ok I'll make a more user friendly version), got it dripping into a old Christmas cookie pan.

BTW...they still have their little 1 qt. waterer as a backup for now. We hit 104 the other day here in north MS.

 

[BairleaFarm]

Looks like a good idea. Drink the cold waterer and enjoy the breeze off the jug.

 

[oxfordethan]

Ok. I went out this a.m. to find the bottle all but 1/4 full. The bowl was full and the water was very cool. Keep in mind this was overnight, not during the sweltering day time heat. I plan on building some type of holder for the bottle tonight. The bungee squeezes the bottle as it melts. This will probably lead to cracks in the bottle and they won't last as long. I want to make something where i can just "drop" the bottle into it.

 

[BairleaFarm]

Dont they sell pet waterers that take a 2 liter bottle? The bottle screws into the water dish.

 

[Dutchess]

Quote:
That's a great idea BairleaFarm!

 

[oxfordethan]

Quote:
That's a great idea BairleaFarm!

going to the pet store today!

 

[jaketheeggman]

The only problem might be if the ice melts to fast there bowl might overflow.

 

[oxfordethan]

Quote:
The water stops flowing out once the level reaches the opening of the bottle.

 

[flowergirl60]

I think that is a great idea.

 

[Kschwartz]

Sorry just had to bump up this thread because I wanted to share that I made something very similar yesterday, except used it for feed. I just used an empty 2 liter pop bottle filled it with feed (by slicing to end for easy access to refill it) bungy corded it to a post upside down and put an old pie pan underneath. The feed pours out until it reaches the neck of the bottle, and as my ducks eat the food, the feed will go below the neck and it will automatically refill. Same concept as the OP's frozen waterer.

Quick cheap and easy auto feeder/waterer.