Nipple Water Question..

[Hawgon]

Where did you get your large black plastic water container? I have beenlooking for something like that but have been unable to source one. Thanks.

Got mine of Craigslist for $10. He has a waiting list for this 15 gallon size but was what I wanted. It came in a light blue but painted it black to cut down on light penetration to help prevent algae. The cedar cover helps protect it from the sun and heating it up to bad. This system has worked for me and my chickens.

 

[Deb B]

I just got my first chicks this week, but I'm thinking of using the nipple system (on a hanging container). So I'm wondering if you have problems with the nipples freezing in the winter time? Seems like the little bit of water around the nipple would freeze up before the water in the bucket. What are your experiences?

Thanks!

 

[Hawgon]

No experience yet but they WILL freeze in the winter time. I let my birds out of the run every morning to free-range in the backyard all day so I will bring them fresh thawed water every morning if it is that cold. I will drain my nipple watering system so it wont freeze and crack and I have the pipe with the nipples on it on a coupler so I might just bring it in for the winter. I am thinking in our area from the first part of December until mid February is the coldest but this is a small price to pay for the convience of the other 9 or 10 months out of the year. I have heard of people wrapping their pipes with that heat tape and using aquarium heaters to keep things thawed but I am a hands on guy with my birds anyway so I dont mind the daily "chores".

 

[Deb B]

Thanks for the input. Here in southern Maryland we might get a winter where it isn't cold enough long enough for the water in the bucket to freeze, but I'm guessing the water in the nipple would freeze quite quickly when the temp drops below 32 degrees. Or we might get a winter where the water in the bucket would freeze up and stay that way a while. You never know around here.