Need a better way to water my flock

[Isadora]

My chickens are drinking upwards of 5 gallons a day and by the time I get around to refilling them their waters wind up going dry more often than I would like. I tried a diy vacuum waterer (basically 5gal buckets sitting in pans) and that worked great until my chickens figured out how to knock over 5gal buckets full of water (I have no idea how they could possibly do it, but here we are).

So, I need a solution that will allow me to have at least a 20 gallon or so water capacity. Are those nipple waterers actually worth it? They seem like the sort of gimmicky thing that sounds good but never works for me.

Could you simply hang your current bucket system? Sounds like it was working fine until they were getting knocked over.

 

[McKeownkd]

I have an rain barrel that will (eventually) hook up to my gutters, that flows into a water bar with horizontal nipples. It has a small water pump that keeps the water flowing when it dips below freezing, and I throw a livestock tank heater in there as well. Works amazing. I may never have to refill it again... (jk, kinda).

 

[PopoMyers]

Just thinking, does roof run off carry chemicals from the roofing material into the water, and could it affect their health? Also, I made a simple autofill waterer a few months ago which has been a time and back saver. The bucket has never been tipped over, since it's always 80% full. Used the Rentacoop nipples. Fortunate to live where it rarely freezes, but may get a heater as weather determines this winter.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Just thinking, does roof run off carry chemicals from the roofing material into the water, and could it affect their health? Also, I made a simple autofill waterer a few months ago which has been a time and back saver. The bucket has never been tipped over, since it's always 80% full. Used the Rentacoop nipples. Fortunate to live where it rarely freezes, but may get a heater as weather determines this winter.

Depends on what your roof is made of, and what your roof is under. I use rainfall and "autowaterers" as well, with 275 gallon totes serving as my reserve. Mine are fed from sheet a metal roof out in the pasture - so apart from pollen that one time of the year, no added chemicals.

The other one is also sheet metal, but shaded by some big trees with large leaves. Mostly, the leaves blow off on their own, and I have leaf screens up top - but once in a blue moon I need to clear a few off the roof.

 

[catballou]

I used a heated dog bowl hold 1.5 gallons have 12 chickens. I throw away about a half gallon of water a day. Thinking of getting 4-5 smaller ones so everyone can get a drink when they want and hopefully not throw out water at the end of the day. If your birds are drinking that much you probably need a couple more waterers. I have some white and red ones that get algae in them in the summer. I fixed that by using ACV in them daily.

I clean my small heated dog every other day and always throw water out. I'm glad to because if I didn't, that would mean they ran out of water!
I water the plants outside my barn with it.

 

[WindingRoad]

I clean my small heated dog every other day and always throw water out. I'm glad to because if I didn't, that would mean they ran out of water!
I water the plants outside my barn with it.

I use my wheel barrow outside the coop and throw "old" water in it along with daily poop patrol and use that to water my trees. I just don't like not using water as we are in drought here in West Central Maine.