Hurricane Advice

[adrikeen]

Oh...brb...I'm apparently taking too long to put Rupert outside....I'm getting growled at now....

 

[RUNuts]

I don't haul 5 gallons at a time. 2-4 to keep it fresh. Did have a problem with them perching on top so I put an empty feed bag on top like a teepee. Keep them and the sun off the water cooler jug.

A strong girl like you would probably haul 5 gallons without a problem.

AND! don't cut the holes too low. The first time...

 

[Kiki]

I feed fermented feed which has a lot of water in it and I have a itty bitty flock so I use the small quart plastic waterers. Actually only one at a time.
I change the waterer out twice a day.
What?
My girls need fresh cool water all day long.

I have some 5 gallon galvanized thing but I don't like it.

 

[rjohns39]

Ok...here is a new topic for everyone...and a good one.
What is the BEST chicken waterer (non-nipple) that everyone has found. I've amased a useless pile of chicken waterers because they all suck! I've had it. Leak, can't balance, rust, get knocked over....I've bought cheap, I've bought expensive....I give up!

In my shelter's I use a bellmatic drinker aside from needing to clean the filters and hoses from time to time they work great. I have a 5 gal bucket on top the shelter that feeds them. In pasture I've just surrendered. Rubber bowls and kiddie swimming pools get the job done.

ETA: I rinse and refill three times per day, sometimes four depending on temp.

 

[adrikeen]

I don't haul 5 gallons at a time. 2-4 to keep it fresh. Did have a problem with them perching on top so I put an empty feed bag on top like a teepee. Keep them and the sun off the water cooler jug.

A strong girl like you would probably haul 5 gallons without a problem.

AND! don't cut the holes too low. The first time...

I actually have a hose set up that I snake through the coop and fill the waterers. What do you do with the jug spout to limit the flow of water?

 

[adrikeen]

Galvanized...yeah...these have been the worst. Latest was toads hanging out in the waterer like a pool. We have some big toads too.

 

[Kiki]

Galvanized...yeah...these have been the worst. Latest was toads hanging out in the waterer like a pool. We have some big toads too.

Frog legs!

 

[adrikeen]

I might have an issue with the jug/bucket set up....I need to be able to heat the thing in the winter.....BUT...looks like this might work for warm weather.
Can the bellmatic one be heated?? I'm reasearching this at the moment....

 

[RUNuts]

I actually have a hose set up that I snake through the coop and fill the waterers. What do you do with the jug spout to limit the flow of water?

The trick is to support it enough off the bottom to allow water to free flow out and create a vacuum at the top to hold the rest of the water inside the blue jug. I've tried rocks, sticks, pieces of plastic with mixed success. When the water glugs out of the jug, it moves your carefully arranged supports and you get to balance 5 gallons of water with one hand while reaching in through the 3" holes with your 5" hands to manipulate the supports into the proper position while the water drains out. Rinse and repeat.

So I put a plastic clothes pin on the top of the jug. It is too big (or my holes are too low), so I tilted the 5 gallon bucket off the brick on the fence to unlevel it. It's working...

The next plan is to cut a length of 1/2" PVC pipe the diameter of the bucket so the glugs don't move it and adjust height. I have a plan.

 

[rjohns39]

Galvanized...yeah...these have been the worst. Latest was toads hanging out in the waterer like a pool. We have some big toads too.

Hmmmm Average life expectancy of a toad in my pasture is measured in seconds

I might have an issue with the jug/bucket set up....I need to be able to heat the thing in the winter.....BUT...looks like this might work for warm weather.
Can the bellmatic one be heated?? I'm reasearching this at the moment....

Not a good heating solution to the bellmatic. You can heat the bucket, but that won't prevent the hose or the bell from freezing. I've been toying with a nipple design for winter—but have found the black rubber tubs seem to do fine in my climate. @R2elk has a neat article on how he uses manure to keep water from freezing.