Making an automatic waterer?

[Slongest]

Ok I appreciate it looking forward to it

 

[Dash]

This is the tap with the hose lines, plus the hose is flexible and cheap to replace, Each junction has a hose screen to protect from gunk. The copper line is a bleed if I need to clean the barrel.

All I need to do is paint the PVC because it's not mad for sun protection. I made everything easily to replace and cost effective, so if I do have an issue, I replace the part.

The second line feeds into the coop, and you can even see one of the girls laying in my "Milk crate nest" I made for pennies

I hope this helps, let me know what you think and if you have any questions!

 

[Slongest]

This is the tap with the hose lines, plus the hose is flexible and cheap to replace, Each junction has a hose screen to protect from gunk. The copper line is a bleed if I need to clean the barrel.

All I need to do is paint the PVC because it's not mad for sun protection. I made everything easily to replace and cost effective, so if I do have an issue, I replace the part.

The second line feeds into the coop, and you can even see one of the girls laying in my "Milk crate nest" I made for pennies

I hope this helps, let me know what you think and if you have any questions!

GREAT!!!! I reallyu appreciate it i really like this alot i think ill be doing almost the same think really soon and ill be sure to add some pics..... what size pvc did u use? do you have a way to keep it from freezing? and where did u purchase your cups and quanity? i know i can get them anywhere but have u found a deal too good to pass up or a best price place?

 

[Dash]

We first off the cups (with brackets) I found on Ebay, You can find better prices if you shop around but, I always do best on the bay. Be sure to get the cups with brackets to avoid leaking and such, it's just way easier than fiddling with it all the time if you mess up. The brackets fit 1/2 inch PVC and that's it, you won't need anything bigger. As for heating, I live in Arizona, so I dont need to worry about freezing to much, I have a backup dish If I do need it. I don't have electricity to my coop either, so all my fans and such run on spot solar. If you do have electricity, they do sell plug in water warmers for dog dishes and such, you could always look into that I suppose, I don't know how well they work, Most of the other parts and adapters are on Ebay or your hardware store, Just remember the cups are made for gravity fed systems, so put the barrel on blocks so Its higher than the cups and you won't be wasting water, Mine is still to low, but thats all the blocks I had at the time. If you need any links or help, just ask I went through enough trial and error. Cant wait to see the pics!

 

[Dash]

Oh and it matter how many chickens you get vs cups, always get one or two extra, (just in case). As you can see by my set-up I can shut off a section if I have a problem for the fix, and the chickens always have the other waterer to get water from, if a cup is leaky, it most likely has some debris holding it open, so you can take it off and wash it out then pop it back on good as new!

 

[missnu01]

The nipples are usually red, which signals a chicken to peck, and when they peck water comes out...so voila birds are nipple trained. I have a bucket with water nipples, but the birds all prefer the dish of water I also leave out. I would love to get a set up with some of the cups.

 

[Slongest]

We first off the cups (with brackets) I found on Ebay, You can find better prices if you shop around but, I always do best on the bay. Be sure to get the cups with brackets to avoid leaking and such, it's just way easier than fiddling with it all the time if you mess up. The brackets fit 1/2 inch PVC and that's it, you won't need anything bigger. As for heating, I live in Arizona, so I dont need to worry about freezing to much, I have a backup dish If I do need it. I don't have electricity to my coop either, so all my fans and such run on spot solar. If you do have electricity, they do sell plug in water warmers for dog dishes and such, you could always look into that I suppose, I don't know how well they work, Most of the other parts and adapters are on Ebay or your hardware store, Just remember the cups are made for gravity fed systems, so put the barrel on blocks so Its higher than the cups and you won't be wasting water, Mine is still to low, but thats all the blocks I had at the time. If you need any links or help, just ask I went through enough trial and error. Cant wait to see the pics!

Ive found them for decent price on ebay i have a huge chicken barn and i have 8 five gallon waterers in there and it just gets to be a jog to refill and clean them up everyday i too have the heaters under them they work great just want something more automatic i love your setup and im going to be under sonstuction soon thanks again for your help.....

 

[Dash]

I know that low down water dragging feeling, lol. I can't wait to see what you come up with!

 

[amynrichie]

When you use a 55 gallon barrel, how do you 1: Keep the water from getting too hot in the sun? and 2: Keep algae from growing in it? I'm interested in that idea, but our summers get HOT, and our winters get COLD.

 

[missnu01]

it would have to be covered in some way...you can also insulate things cheap by using old clothes or towels or just scrap bits of cloth tightly packed and then just taped around the outside...You can wrap it in actual insulation..
Anything that blocks light from getting to it will keep it cooler and prevent algae growth...the insulation will block light, heat, and cold...so I think it is a better idea to wrap the whole barrel in insulation with some sort of heavy totally opaque material that would block light, heat, and hopefully cold as well.