My mom won't be able to lift the waterer, I need some ideas.

[There A Chick]

There's going to be a couple of times this summer when I'm gone and my mother will be taking care of my chickens for me. I have 27 laying hens. I have a 3.5 gallon typical red/white plastic waterer and I know right now that my mom will never be able to fill it, flip it and hang it up. :-( She's 75 and her coordination is bad plus with her back she is not supposed to be lifting more than 10 lbs. anyway.

As it is, with this recent heat in NC, they drank almost the full 3.5 gallons in a day. I'd like to find some kind of automatic waterer with a float or something, and something we could hook up to the garden hose just for while I'm gone and she could just check it every day to make sure its working. Maybe there's something made commercially, with how much their drinking it would be pretty nice to have that in place anyway.

Thanks in advance if anyone can recommend something.

 

[Wolfwoman]

Get some nipple waterers and a 5 gallon bucket and she can use the hose to fill the bucket.

 

[halo]

If you can run a hose to the pen, you can get one of those automatic waterers that they have for horses, and for dogs too, I think.

 

[ScoobyRoo]

Why not just get several one gallon waterers? I know it would be a pain but they would be smaller for her to handle. I have three of those stationed in different areas with my large flock. I want them having fresh water everyday and it takes less than ten minutes to rinse out and fill again. But it sounds like you want just one water station. If you use a shallow feed tub (for horses) they work okay, but the water gets dirty quicker. Hopefully someone will have an idea for you. Good luck.

 

[Kittymomma]

The metal waterers can be filled in place with a hose and then she could put the top on--they don't need to be flipped like the plastic ones. I like the idea of the nipple waterers though, I haven't tried them yet but would really like to!

 

[rancher hicks]

Since I have the same problem as your mom, I use gallone milk jugs to carry water all winter long. I have a small red wagon and each jug fills a one gallon waterer. I do have a friend who uses nipples on five gallon buckets. She has posted a pics I think. If you used her method your mom could fill it with gallon milk jugs.

 

[There A Chick]

I found this automatic waterer, you just hook a hose to it. Maybe this would work, what do you guys think??

http://www.randallburkey.com/1-1_2-Quart-Fountain-Waterer/productinfo/2550/

 

[dieselgrl48]

We had thought about the nipple ones in the past with several coops We had before.I guess they would work great warm months but winter

.I have 5 bantam's that took up residence in the horse stall when brooding with duck's.They basicly drank out of the lil plastic dishpans I had in there for the duck's and they still do .I am going to get a new one gallon to put in there just for them this weekend since the ducks are out finaly.Maybe you can get some good idea's from a lot of people here.I would not advise getting those crappy one gallon from TSC.The bottoms will NOT stay on them and they dont screw on the way they are supposed to at least the 2 I bought here doesn't.

 

[sommrluv]

I cannot lift more than five pounds and I do similar to another person. I fill old orange juice jugs every morning and wheel them out to the coop. I flip the waterers over, check cleanliness, and refill and leave the additional bottles behind for refills. I add a little vinegar as well. In the evening I'll bring the empties back to the house.

I'll scrub the waterers every three days. The vinegar keeps them from getting icky.

It helps to be really really organized for that type of situation. Food always in the same place, etc. That way at any time, even emergencies, anyone can walk into your coop and know what's what.

 

[halo]

This one is cheaper:

http://www.jefferslivestock.com/ssc/product.asp?CID=2&mscssid=Q8H1942P3R5H9NNRV01ND4KV8A0T6CV6