Home made auto feeders and waterers.

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: The only way to make it work at below freezing temperatures is wiith electric heat sources, and the shortest possible exposed runs of pipe

 

[shmccarthy]

The only way to make it work at below freezing temperatures is wiith electric heat sources, and the shortest possible exposed runs of pipe

What kind of piping would be the best, in your opinion?

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

What kind of piping would be the best, in your opinion?

PEX is what most plumbers use now
It can freeze and thaw without splitting like copper or PVC

 

[handyman42]

The only way to make it work at below freezing temperatures is with electric heat sources, and the shortest possible exposed runs of pipe

My thought was to run all underground and then insulate the few inches it was exposed. plus possibly building a small platform for it to be set on that's insulated and all water pipes being inside that. And yes PEX is most definitely the easiest and best way to go for sure. That's what I'll use when I do mine.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

My thought was to run all underground and then insulate the few inches it was exposed. plus possibly building a small platform for it to be set on that's insulated and all water pipes being inside that. And yes PEX is most definitely the easiest and best way to go for sure. That's what I'll use when I do mine.

That sounds like a great plan.
If you were to build a platform for your reservoir, it could also be a heater by simply putting in a light fixture

 

[handyman42]

That sounds like a great plan.
If you were to build a platform for your reservoir, it could also be a heater by simply putting in a light fixture

You're right, I may do that just as an extra precaution. Right now I'm working on building my new chicken pens for breeding next year and I'm going to run water and electricity to them so I'll have everything right there at my disposal. I'm kind of excited about getting it done. Going to be breeding Buff Orpingtons for multiple purposes. My goal is to sell chicks, raise unsold cockrels for meat, keep unsold pullets for eggs and future breeders and then hopefully I'll have a self sustaining egg and meat flock year round.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Sounds like a great plan and a wise choice of breeds
Good luck!

 

[handyman42]

Thank you. I had one BO in my flock starting out with some cochins and ameraucanas but she was always my favorite. So I'm hoping to get things started in March with my new flock of 7 hens and a roo.

 

[shmccarthy]

I was thinking a lot about it and came up with the idea (with a little help of course) if using one of those large 5 gallon water containers as the tank. We were going to set it on a base inside a tray, with sides that go up about an inch roughly and secure it to that. Drill a hole in the bottom that isn't higher than the top of the base's wall and not too low either. To keep it heated I was going to make a hole in the lid and run the cord through there and seal it back up again so it's airtight.

 

[Mountain Man 60]

CO... I just built a 5 gall waterer for my small flock. I used a bucket from Lowes that had a hole predrlled that has a plastic extension hood attached to the hole. This hole is big enough to fit the heater and a garden hose into. I hung it from my coop and have three nipples in the bottom. I feed mine from a tin roof to a gutter with a bulkhead fitting going to a garden hose that feeds the bucket. If you want to run one from running water source use a upright toilet shut off valve in the bucket and the aquarium heater and you should be set.