Keeping a Water Supply

[sandburRanch]

Build your chickens a self regulating drinker so they don't run short in hot weather . I used a 55 gallon drum for pigs but a 30 gallon would suffice for a small or large flock of birds . Drinkers ( that can be cleaned ) can be placed in several pens if needed . Anyone interested in how ?

 

[Buckingham Palace]

I would like to know it, sounds interesting.

 

[sandburRanch]

I would like to know it, sounds interesting.

I would like to know it, sounds interesting.

It works on the same principle as any gravity feed water-er .
COPIED:
Gravity and air pressure. Because of gravity, the water in the reservoir wants to flow out through the small opening in the “bowl” area but cannot because the pull of the water creates a low pressure zone in the top of the bottle that counteracts it (it's like anti-gravity!) by “sucking” the water up.

The barrel that has a large and small bung is laid on it's side horizontally and slightly elevated above the drinkers maybe a foot or so . A 3/4" valve is placed in the 3/4" pipe opening that will be on the bottom . From there a hose or tubing is run to the drinker that has a connection for that hose or tubing .

That connection is at an elevation on the drinker that the desired water level will be . With the 3/4" valve at the bottom closed , fill the container with water . Garden hose or whatever makes you happy . Now screw the larger bung in the top opening to seal the barrel . It must seal completely . Open the valve and the drinker will fill until that small hole at the hose connection in it is covered with water just as the old galvanized water container does .

The same thing can be accomplished by setting a barrel in a large pan / container and punching a hole at the water level desired in the drinker but both bung holes being on top will need to seal . A wood plug in the small discharge hole will prevent water from filling the drinker while filling the container .

Moving on to multiple drinkers . Connect a many as desired in succession as long as they are all at the same elevation as the first . A nipple connection will be installed near the bottom of the 1st drinker to supply each consecutive drinker and all drinkers after will have a similar connection point near the bottom . The 1st drinker is the water level controlling master .

BTW , a 55 gallon drum will keep a sow and 8 pigs with drinking water for a week in warm weather .

 

[casportpony]

Build your chickens a self regulating drinker so they don't run short in hot weather . I used a 55 gallon drum for pigs but a 30 gallon would suffice for a small or large flock of birds . Drinkers ( that can be cleaned ) can be placed in several pens if needed . Anyone interested in how ?

I'd love to see some pictures.

 

[sandburRanch]

I'd love to see some pictures.

Sorry , no pics available from back in cave man days so the best i can do is to draw some sketches because when i built the system for pigs it was 40 years ago . If i get time in my busy retirement schedule i'll try some pencil drawing maybe tomorrow .

Chickens brave enough to enter the pig pen could drink from those drinkers too . Pigs have been known to eat live chickens .

 

[Buckingham Palace]

It works on the same principle as any gravity feed water-er .
COPIED:
Gravity and air pressure. Because of gravity, the water in the reservoir wants to flow out through the small opening in the “bowl” area but cannot because the pull of the water creates a low pressure zone in the top of the bottle that counteracts it (it's like anti-gravity!) by “sucking” the water up.

The barrel that has a large and small bung is laid on it's side horizontally and slightly elevated above the drinkers maybe a foot or so . A 3/4" valve is placed in the 3/4" pipe opening that will be on the bottom . From there a hose or tubing is run to the drinker that has a connection for that hose or tubing .

That connection is at an elevation on the drinker that the desired water level will be . With the 3/4" valve at the bottom closed , fill the container with water . Garden hose or whatever makes you happy . Now screw the larger bung in the top opening to seal the barrel . It must seal completely . Open the valve and the drinker will fill until that small hole at the hose connection in it is covered with water just as the old galvanized water container does .

The same thing can be accomplished by setting a barrel in a large pan / container and punching a hole at the water level desired in the drinker but both bung holes being on top will need to seal . A wood plug in the small discharge hole will prevent water from filling the drinker while filling the container .

Moving on to multiple drinkers . Connect a many as desired in succession as long as they are all at the same elevation as the first . A nipple connection will be installed near the bottom of the 1st drinker to supply each consecutive drinker and all drinkers after will have a similar connection point near the bottom . The 1st drinker is the water level controlling master .

BTW , a 55 gallon drum will keep a sow and 8 pigs with drinking water for a week in warm weather .

Wow that’s interesting

 

[Grandmoi]

I've been doing a lot of research on this..can't find the answer to my question...Here in East Central MIssouri, it gets HOT ...aside from tree shade, how do you ensure that the standing water in the plastic barrel is not too hot for the chickens?

 

[sandburRanch]

I've been doing a lot of research on this..can't find the answer to my question...Here in East Central MIssouri, it gets HOT ...aside from tree shade, how do you ensure that the standing water in the plastic barrel is not too hot for the chickens?

I was never concerned with temperature and to my knowledge a chicken or pig was never affected by this water temperature and it was in a steel barrel in full sun with steel drinkers i made . I doubt central MO climate exceeds that of Major Co. Okla where the temperature has historically been between 102°F and 113°F for 40 consecutive days .

This post reminds me i never provided any drawings being i never had pics that were ask for ..

 

[Grandmoi]

I was never concerned with temperature and to my knowledge a chicken or pig was never affected by this water temperature and it was in a steel barrel in full sun with steel drinkers i made . I doubt central MO climate exceeds that of Major Co. Okla where the temperature has historically been between 102°F and 113°F for 40 consecutive days .

This post reminds me i never provided any drawings being i never had pics that were ask for ..

Thank you..THAT is quite helpful

 

[sandburRanch]

This is how a farm boy did it years ago .

The supply line from the barrel must slope down some on its way to the first drinker that controls the level , but not necessarily as great as this drawing shows . The inlet of the first controlling drinker is near the top at a level you want to maintain water . The outlet of the control drinker is near the bottom and feeds water to all other consecutive drinkers which have a inlet and outlet at the lower level .

If you ever had hogs you know they can tear up anything but a steel ball , so those drinkers will need to be mounted to a platform with Lag Screws . I welded an ear off the sides , drilled holes in the ears and bolted down to a 2 X 12 oak plank . They had to stand on the plank to drink and the plank was long enough to reach through the fence for a second drinker for the pigs being weened .

But problems didn't stop there . The pigs found if they sloshed water vigorously with their nose water would splash out onto the dirt below forming a place to wallow in the mud . So farm boy made a false bottom of expanded metal with legs that allowed the pigs about an inch of water depth . Problem completely solved ? NO , one little pig would dip his nose in , then turn his head / nose to the side so water would drip to the dirt . He would repeat this until he had a wet spot to enjoy .

Chickens will be much less troublesome .

And i haven't a clue why all of the pic didn't post . Click on pic to fully open .