Official BYC Poll: Which type of waterers do you like best and why?

[Alaskan]

I have a theory, about arbitrarily choosing "the best" vs. "best for your situation" given the climate; AKA your latitude and sun exposure of the water/food containers.

Just because the simplicity of the 1.5gal flip over red & white waterer that we got at TSC is likely the most prolific given its design. However, as we still use it - wouldn't call it the "best". Hardly. I haven't had any others yet. I tried the metal version. The dispenser plug failed right outta the box.... I've seen so many ingenious DIY's that I'm seriously thinking that if we put a few crayon lines on the map for Latitudes that we would discover: A) that specific DIY designs are better for equalorial to ~30-ish degrees Latitude.
B) certain retail designs are good for moat latitudes but, not for "_x_" latitude.
C) diy design "z" isn't a good idea for above ~4000' elevation or above ~40-45° latitude due to the inability to keep it from freezing due entirely to its volume.

These are a few thoughts I've been having as I try to figure out which is the best DOY design that will work in my area of North Texas.....

Thoughts?

Back when I took care of Texas chickens... I really liked the old metal waterers.

Of course, this was years back, so probably made better than they are now...

But the one we had lasted a very long time, it was set in the shade, so stayed cool. It held over a gallon, so a fill up lasted.

Freezes weren't long or hard enough to break it. We just used a water pan for the few days a year when a freeze lasted more than 2 hours.

 

[electrycmonk]

I use a cup nipples drilled into a 2 gallon bucket. It works well and doesn't smell like my old gravity waterers did. It also doesn't leak at all nor get stuck like the vertical nipple waterer does. It also stays very clean inside and I haven't have a case of algae yet. The best part that I only need to refill it once a weeks. My favorite waterer I've had so far in my 5 years and definitely the easiest to maintain

So geographically speaking, in the great state of Cali, where ar't thou?
Case in point, I grew up in Costa Mesa, played out in Glamis & Anza Borrego. So if You'd be okay sharing a regional type reference point then I'd have a much better idea of your annual climate pattern. Being a WX g33k is the only reason to ask. Fair enough?

 

[BDutch]

I have a theory, about arbitrarily choosing "the best" vs. "best for your situation" given the climate; AKA your latitude and sun exposure of the water/food containers.

Just because the simplicity of the 1.5gal flip over red & white waterer that we got at TSC is likely the most prolific given its design. However, as we still use it - wouldn't call it the "best". Hardly. I haven't had any others yet. I tried the metal version. The dispenser plug failed right outta the box.... I've seen so many ingenious DIY's that I'm seriously thinking that if we put a few crayon lines on the map for Latitudes that we would discover: A) that specific DIY designs are better for equalorial to ~30-ish degrees Latitude.
B) certain retail designs are good for moat latitudes but, not for "_x_" latitude.
C) diy design "z" isn't a good idea for above ~4000' elevation or above ~40-45° latitude due to the inability to keep it from freezing due entirely to its volume.

These are a few thoughts I've been having as I try to figure out which is the best DOY design that will work in my area of North Texas.....

Thoughts?

Its not the latitude that counts imo but freezing temperatures. And for how long. Where I live we have a warm gulf stream and mild winters.

Other important thing for a first choice maybe are:

• The size of youre flock, how many?
• The size of you’re chickens ?
• Mixed fowl or not ?
• Do you like to interact and care for you’re flock?
• Are you handy, DIY?
• Are the birds free ranging or locked up in a dirt run or inside a big coop?

 

[Shadrach]

These are what I use. I have half a dozen of them spread around the place. They come in two sizes. This is the smaller size.
They need filling daily.
They are better at keeping water cool in the summer than plastic bottle systems, or open bowls.
The main disadvantages are, the handles break off; this doesn't make them unusable though, and they need a bit of patience when filling.

 

[aart]

"the best" vs. "best for your situation" given the climate

Climate should always be a consideration.

 

[ladybrasa]

Not sure what to vote - definitely like the gravity cup over the cups with the peck tab - no learning curve, especially for chicks. I’m not currently using the two containers with those cups because size and shape requirements have/will be changing. For the big chicks I recently got a top leading 3 gal waterer that so far is working well. In theory it should work with the heater thing rated for plastic in winter. I like that I don’t have to necessarily completely dump it every day - I can just pour in a milk jug gal of water from the kitchen sink. This will be useful in winter since it will be dark when I get up and dark when I get home. Basically it’s easier for me! Obviously I’ll clean it as needed. So far they’ve kept it reasonably clean ...

 

[aart]

For the big chicks I recently got a top leading 3 gal waterer that so far is working well. In theory it should work with the heater thing rated for plastic in winter.

Got a link?

 

[Teresa D]

I use a cup nipples drilled into a 2 gallon bucket. It works well and doesn't smell like my old gravity waterers did. It also doesn't leak at all nor get stuck like the vertical nipple waterer does. It also stays very clean inside and I haven't have a case of algae yet. The best part that I only need to refill it once a weeks. My favorite waterer I've had so far in my 5 years and definitely the easiest to maintain

I just buy mine.

 

[Araucana Nest]

Have tried many different Waterers and all have an issue. Those large one cans be hard for me to wrangle. I just purchased one with two cups and vertical nipples and they aren’t interested and the cups get dirty which was something I was trying to avoid. It’s too hot to take the water away so I’ll try to get the younger ones to learn during the cooler months but I won’t be buying anymore.
So far nothing has been as satisfactory as a two-gallon bucket. They can’t toss dirt into it can’t poop in it and I don’t have to worry about filling it for two days when I hose it off. My coops are in the back so the roosters don’t aggravate a neighbor and therefore away from water. Will be connecting two hoses with quick connect to get closer as soon as I remember to do that.

 

[Sycamore Hill Chicks]

I use horizontal nipples and they keep the water clean and cold! Where we live, it doesn't get down to 30 degrees very often so they work great for us.