Homemade waterer problem

[FrenchToast]

We just finished making a homemade water and feeder using the 5 gallon pail and the feeder is working wonderful but my waterer is creating a vaccum and won't refill.
I know it is a simple fix but don't remember what I read to remedy this situation.
We drilled a hole just under the lip of the lid for the water to dispense. We filled the bucket with water. Put the lid on tight. Turned it upside down into a flower pot saucer. Saucer filled with water. Went out today and noticed very little water. I had to push down on the top (bottom of bucket) to get water to dispense.
So obviously it has created a vaccum. Do I drill another hole or ???

Thanks

 

[RocketDad]

My plastic waterer broke in the cold (kid dropped it) so I had to improvise something. I used a half-gallon plastic mixing tub from Home Depot paint department - like a big yogurt tub - upside down in a round cake pan. Drilled a 1/8" hole. Same problem you're having. I enlarged the hole to about 1/4" and it still didn't work. Ended up jabbing a 1/2" square hole in it with a utility knife, and it finally worked. It could even be bigger.

So, make your hole bigger. You probably only need one, but it needs to be big enough.

 

[MotherJean]

You need a hole at the top of the bucket to prevent the vacuum. You'll just have to hold your finger over that hole while you refill...or stand clear

 

[pj_elia]

Quote:
Don't do that. Your water would just continuously drain until empty.

You need to make your hole near the lip larger. As long as the edge of the pan is higher than the top of the whole the system will work.

 

[ericsplls]

Do not put a hole in the top(bottom) of bucket. As said before just make your hole bigger. Anything around 3/8 of an inch should work fine. Make sure you clean the shavings on the inside aroung the hole or they will flap around and cover the hole causing the problem you have now. Also you can't have too many holes. I usually put four evenly spaced around the bucket. That way one could get clogged with a piece of algea that came off the inside of the bucket and it would still work. I use feed pans they sell at tractor supply for three dollars. I also use three gallon buckets because my they will last a couple days with around a dozen chickens using it. Any longer than that and the water gets nasty so why carry the extra two gallons.

 

[FrenchToast]

Quote:
Thanks, guys

I was going to drill a bigger hole but hubby said to make a small one !!! So I can blame the problem on Him !!!

I agree, not to drill a hole on the top (bottom) of bucket. The store bought waterers that you flip over don't have a hole in their top either.

I'm going to go drill them now so I'm assured my chickies have water in the morning !!!


Thanks again !!