Leaking Waterers

[mski816]

I recently got the self-filling water cups for my chickens because many people recommended that I use them, and they’re great, but my chickens keep tipping them over. I’ve tried really cranking them down and tightening them, but they keep turning them and it causes the bucket to empty. I don’t feel that I should be refilling a 5-gallon bucket every day. Any suggestions?

 

[aart]

@mski816 Can you post pics, or a link, of these waterers?

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

I find mine drip slowly :/ so it very slowly empties out the water over a couple days. I think the seals just aren't great or the tiny gaps from the drill and the fitting just aren't tight enough over time and in the elements.

 

[rosemarythyme]

A little confused, they're tipping the waterer over or do the cups somehow move? Where precisely is the water leaking from? Photos would help a lot.

 

[Captain13]

On the Rentacoop cup waters, they screw in and if bumped, they will turn, start dripping and drain the bucket or whatever they are sourced by. It´s especially bad if you have the dust covers on them.

 

[Morrigan]

I have a couple of rentacoop waterers. At first I loved them. Now, not so much, for the reasons you are experiencing. The cups get dirty, chickens bump them so they tilt and leak. The best thing you can do to prevent the bumping/tilting problem is to position the waterer in a place where the chickens are less likely to jostle it. One of mine is in a corner, under a shelf. My other one is hanging up, high enough so that it's not so easy for them to bump the cups around. I also wasn't aware there were dust covers available, so I don't know how much that adds to the problem.

They also sell attachments for nipple-type dispensers rather than the cups. I haven't tried that out yet, but am about to.

 

[Captain13]

I had the nipple waterers and they started leaking. I finally ended up with a 3 gallon waterer fro Tractor Supply. The girls love it and it does the job. I gave up on cups and nipples for now.

 

[Morrigan]

Yeah, sometimes simple is better. Right now, I have rubber bowls as my primary water source. Easy to clean and easy to fill.

 

[jetmechG550]

Use a lot of teflon tape. The bit that comes with some of the multi pack waterers is too big. I think most include a 3/8ths bit or suggest using that but next size 11/32nd is better. But in most cases people either forget to use teflon tape or only make a single wrap or two around the threads.

 

[Captain13]

Use a lot of teflon tape. The bit that comes with some of the multi pack waterers is too big. I think most include a 3/8ths bit or suggest using that but next size 11/32nd is better. But in most cases people either forget to use teflon tape or only make a single wrap or two around the threads.

The OP probably has the same problem I have. The chickens bump them and turn them sideways causing the water to drain out. In my case, the waterers fit tight but the chickens run into them occasionally and cause them to turn.