Nipple Waters

[cajun1]

Now that I'm building a new coop, I'd like to update my feed & watering systems. The nipple water's look like a good idea,but then it dawned on me in the winter, will the system be useless? Where I live, the water would freeze & I'd be back to hauling water to the flock. What are some of you doing about this ? The system I'm refering to is the 5 gallon bucket, piped to the nipple waters. Also, what size pvc is best for a pvc feeder?
Thanks ...

 

[hifidelity]

I can't answer your first question because it rarely gets below freezing long enough to make a difference here.

On your second question, though, I used 4 inch sewer pipe (its thinner and easier to work with) to make my feeder and it works great.

 

[hoxeymama]

Hi there, we live in northern Michigan, and use a nipple waterer. Water freezes for about 3 months straight at least during winter, so here is what we do, and it works perfectly. Suspend whatever size bucket you like (I use 2.5 gallon from Home Depot just because its easier for me to fill and carry when I clean it). With 4 nipples in the bottom. On amazon (I have never found one this small locally) you can get a small "bucket heater" it's just like the larger stock tank heaters, but designed for much smaller amounts of water. It was about $30. It has a red plastic cage around the heating element. It never gets the water above 40 or so, so it's not warming it too much, but all I do is top off the bucket a couple times as needed, and when it looks too grubby, I take it down and wash it out. It's nice because it has a cord clip that keeps the slack out of the water bucket also.

Do beware though that the cord and heater accumulate a little grime too, so take it inside with you and wash it or spray it well before you put it back in your clean water Hope that helps!