Hate my Waterer!

[nminusyplusm]

That's a great idea to prevent algae growth.

Thanks! Laziness is the mother of... um, well, I didn't invent anything so... "bucket color selection".

 

[imnukensc]

I use this. I've never cleaned it in almost 8 months. In this pic, it looks discolored towards the bottom and as if algae may be growing in it, but I can assure there isn't any. There are about 5 or 6 pennies in it. Copper is a natural biocide and will not harm the chickens. (Think about all the copper pipes in your house.) I fill it with the hose from outside the run.

 

[User395221]

With those cups posted above do the chickens have to do anything to get the water? Or is it just a mini bowl that fills itself back up?

It's just a mini bowl that fills itself back up. When the float drops, it opens the valve to the inside.
The jugs I use are for people, they are food-grade, BPA free, all of that. If you get buckets or tubs from "people places" you'll be ok. One thing about the jugs I use, they are semi-transparent, so you can see the water level without looking in the top. It's also convenient to me to check that none of the waters has emptied.

With the cups, they have to hit the yellow paddle, to make the water come out.

They may have different types over there, but no, the chooks don't have to make the water come out, the little bowl sits there full, and the float just operates the valve. That why I like them, I can walk past and see them full of water and know that everyone's ok.

 

[Crooked Chicken]

I think I might try to find some nipples locally and find a food grade bucket (clear preferably so I can see how much water is left and food grade because, yes, I am one of those people that worries about plastic residues- after all, does Home Depot really care if your chickens get poisoned from their orange buckets?). Where do most people buy them? At the feed store? Or is it easier to just order online ? If I don’t like it I’ll just try something else. That stupid red and white piece of garbage already leaked out the entire contents that I put in just yesterday. So I definitely need to do something.

My older chickens just have big water bowls. I have some 2 month old chicks that I just moved to a cage in the coop, and since space was limited I made a water bottle with the cup-type inserts and they had no problem figuring it out right away. I got the fittings at Tractor Supply

and installed them on a tall pretzel container. I think a container with a thicker wall would work better though as the pretzel container is thin and probably won't hold up well.

 

[blackdog043]

hey may have different types over there, but no, the chooks don't have to make the water come out, the little bowl sits there full, and the float just operates the valve.

They might be different, here's a description from Ebay.
"As a bird drinks, the spring-loaded tab is bumped, releasing more water into the cup."

 

[pennyJo1960]

I use 5 gallon buckets and horizontal nipples put beak to nipple use beak to push nipple water comes out

 

[Leigti]

Rubber pans. I rarely use anything else and I have no wish to. They are incredibly sturdy and clean nicely with a hose. They work especially well for cold climates, and aren't prone to flipping.

And if you put them up about cinder block Heights they work really well. The chickens don’t kick anything into them but they can still drink out of them. The buckets made out of the same stuff also work well.

 

[nminusyplusm]

What part of the country do you live in? Do you get cold weather?

 

[Birdinhand]

Horizontal don't leak
You can set the bucket down when you want to clean it
You don't have to hang the bucket
You can use a de-icer in the bucket and the nipples will still work in cold climates
All the reasons above are negatives for the vertical nipples

I've found that this depends on the brand of nipple. I have found a vertical nipple waterer that does not freeze if it has a deicer in it and doesn't leak and can be filled while hanging. I've used other vertical nipple waterers and they leaked.

here is the set up I use, it has UV filtering so no algae, but lear enough to easily monitor the water level: http://www.atwoods.com/poultry-feeders-watering/cheery-chicks-chicken-kooler-35-gallon.htm

here is the heater I use: https://www.amazon.com/Allied-Preci...-fkmr0&keywords=heated+bucket+poultry+drinker

 

[User395221]

They might be different, here's a description from Ebay.
"As a bird drinks, the spring-loaded tab is bumped, releasing more water into the cup."

I don't know, here are the ones my girls and boys have. They don't have to bump that "tongue", the valve opens when that thing goes down and it goes down as the water is drunk. Of course, they do come into contact while they are drinking, but they don't actually have to figure out anything to get their drink, it's just there in the little bowl.

This fellow's setup (at about 4mins in) has different cups, they seem more like a nipple with an attached cup, you can see him pressing and the water coming out.