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

[BigFuzzball]

Would you mind posting a few pictures of them in the original state - before you modify them.... That way we - across the pond - "know what to look for." Sound reasonable?

Certainly will do, have 2 or 3 different styles, metal handles (ideal for hanging them up) so will post pics asap.

 

[RubelliteRose]

I just changed my vote from plain cup waterer to bowl. We are first time chicken owners and initially bought the nipple-less cup waterers to use in a 5 gallon bucket. We installed 3 in the bucket and had 2 as backups. Our chickens have only been outside for 3 months and we have already had 3 cups fail by constantly filling so the bucket drains leaving them without water. We thought we had solved the problem after the first 2 failed in a week, but apparently not. Fortunately, I have been using a smaller backup waterer in the run as well.

 

[Eelantha]

(... The poll did ask about 'Other' types of waterers, so I guess this fits in here...)

Sometimes, giving a second life to items in your possession is the key to success. In someone's case on another site, they went the simple yet creative route and gave their rice cooker the new task of heating their chickens' water. Plug in the item, pour water inside, and set the cooker at 'warm'. That was all.

From the comments following the original one, re-purposing a rice cooker into a heated poultry waterer apparently works, as both the original person and the one who told them the idea are now using rice cookers to keep their chickens drinking during the winter months. There were no pictures attached or brands named, so I will assume the lids are kept open so the chickens can drink inside the rice cooker. Its level of maintenance, energy costs, pros and cons (and potential fire hazards) are not mentioned.

 

[electrycmonk]

(... The poll did ask about 'Other' types of waterers, so I guess this fits in here...)

Sometimes, giving a second life to items in your possession is the key to success. In someone's case on another site, they went the simple yet creative route and gave their rice cooker the new task of heating their chickens' water. Plug in the item, pour water inside, and set the cooker at 'warm'. That was all.

From the comments following the original one, re-purposing a rice cooker into a heated poultry waterer apparently works, as both the original person and the one who told them the idea are now using rice cookers to keep their chickens drinking during the winter months. There were no pictures attached or brands named, so I will assume the lids are kept open so the chickens can drink inside the rice cooker. Its level of maintenance, energy costs, pros and cons (and potential fire hazards) are not mentioned.

That is a very neat idea. Even acknowledging the potential fire hazard, it's still a very simple solution. And from what I recall typical "retail" rice cookers are on the small side. Max of a gallon capacity?

 

[Eelantha]

That is a very neat idea. Even acknowledging the potential fire hazard, it's still a very simple solution. And from what I recall typical "retail" rice cookers are on the small side. Max of a gallon capacity?

I have no idea. I don't own a rice cooker so I know nothing about the size range xD

 

[electrycmonk]

I have no idea. I don't own a rice cooker so I know nothing about the size range xD

Over the last 20+ yrs I have owned & friends/family owned rice coolers that were all smaller than a 1 gallon capacity....

 

[Eelantha]

Over the last 20+ yrs I have owned & friends/family owned rice coolers that were all smaller than a 1 gallon capacity....

I guess there is an appropriate size for anyone looking for different water-holding capacities?

 

[Trisseh]

To add to my original post way back when, lol - this was my cheapskate solution to using what I already have for the chickens for winter.... I like the cups for summer but no way they’ll stay thawed here for winter; they’ve been frozen for the past week already. This is literally a 25w thermostatically controlled dog bowl, with a 5 gal pail lid with a hole cut out... easy to fill, keeps most of the poo out; it’s on a block so they can all still reach it (mixed sizes of birds here) but not kick too much crap into it. and it’s away from the ducks so I don’t have to worry about those guys making a huge mess. This bowl was pretty awesome last year in the duck house; it just got too messy too quick with them playing in it constantly. But it was cheap (I think I paid $30 on amazon?) and reliable and easily repurposed for the chooks. there were a couple of really cold (like close to -50C with the wind chill kind of cold) nights last year and this sucker only had a bit of ice on the top.

 

[DesertGrrl]

Plastic ones from Walmart.
They have them for $8

 

[Kathymary]

After some experimentation my husband chose a rubber bowl... he had asked a woman at the feed store, I remember. The water does freeze overnight in freezing temperatures. When I had the floor replaced recently, I had the carpenter make a stand for the water dish (covered with rubber) . I think I'd like to learn more about my options. I'm not ready to try to put electricity in the coop though, Just would like to use the best option.