Opinions on Chicken Water Setups

[SharknOtter]

I have 4 pullets, and I’m currently using a vertical nipple waterer, but I’m wondering if I might need to change to a different system soon, especially for winter (Provo, Utah). One of my girls is a cross-beak, and seems to really like the vertical nipples, but my other girls seem like they get annoyed at how hard they have to work to get enough water. I’ve been looking at the Heritage Acres horizontal Nipples( and Amazon knockoffs), and Harris Farms water cups. I want them to be able to get enough water during our hot summers, and if I can, not have to switch to a different system when it starts freezing in the winter. We will most likely be able to run a limited amount of electricity from the garage via extension cord. I’m also kind of limited on funds for getting/ building a system, so I like the idea of a bucket or PVC setup.

 

[Dusty Chicken]

I am also looking for a similar setup! I keep wondering if heat tape on a PVC line would be helpful in the winter. I also like the idea of a warmer underneath a bucket. I do not have as cold as a climate as SharknOtter but for that 2 weeks of freezing temps I would love to keep the same setup and not switch it all out & drain the system. Any ideas would be great!!

 

[Eddie33]

I have a 30 plastic drum that I use with horizontal nipples. I also have a couple of 15 gallon drums for feeders. I would think the 15 gallon size would be great for your flock. I got the drums from a local place that sells them. Mine were food grade and they were used for Dr. Pepper syrup. I only paid $30 for all three and they looked new. You can buy an aquarium heater to drop down in the drum during winter so your water doesn’t freeze.

 

[Dusty Chicken]

How often do you need to clean them?

 

[Eddie33]

I usually get 3-4 weeks on 30 gallons and clean it before refilling. My drums are dark blue, white or clear would promote algae growth and need more maintenance.

 

[SharknOtter]

Eddie, do any of yours have any problems getting enough water? I’ve seen so many reviews of so many different horizontal nipple brands that all say that their chickens were getting dehydrated because they either couldn’t get enough water out of the nipple or couldn’t figure out how to use it. Also, is it safer to use a birdbath heater over an aquarium heater? My fish tank heaters have thermostats on them, but when I tried one in my container pond(40 gal) one winter, it burned out since it was working too hard. I also have a pond heater, it’s 500W and probly too bulky to fit in the water tank.

 

[SharknOtter]

Also, @Dusty Chicken, there’s a tutorial out there on how to insulate a pvc watering system, it’s from the Chicken Chick blog, the article is on Surviving Winter With Chickens I believe. It looks like a great setup, but seems like a lot of work IMO. If nothing else works the way I want, I’ll probly try her setup. I live the idea of the PVC mounted nipples.

 

[tsperry88]

This is mine when my birds were young. The 2x4 was temporary. They seem to drink fine. When it's hot, some of their droppings contain a lot of water, which I assume means they drink plenty. It's being fed by a tank I'll link below. Before it gets cold I'll add a tiny recirculation pump so there is a little flow through the pvc watering loop back into the tank. On mild days should be enough, but I'll have a stock tank heater for days that stay below freezing. The far future plan is to move the tank into my basement. The coop is lower than the house, so it would gravity feed and the circulation pump would trickle it in a loop.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007MSK5RQ/ref=ppx_yo_mob_b_track_package_o0_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1


This is the pump I intend to try:

https://www.amazon.com/bayite-BYT-7...ld=1&keywords=BYT-7A015&qid=1599127585&sr=8-3

 

[jreardon1918]

We use horizontal nipples. In a 5 gallon bucket. It sits under the coop on a cinder block. The lid is not completely tight, which allows a bit of air into the bucket. A couple times a week, we bring a gallon pitcher to top it off. In the winter we use a 250w heater. A few times a year, we rinse out the bucket. Works even in pretty cold conditions.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I’ve seen so many reviews of so many different horizontal nipple brands that all say that their chickens were getting dehydrated because they either couldn’t get enough water out of the nipple or couldn’t figure out how to use it.

To be safe, your chickens should be trained to use a horizontal nipple before you make that their only source of water.

During hotter weather (85F-90F or more) I would suggest offering additional water in bowls to ensure they can stay properly hydrated.