post your chicken coop pictures here!

[MeepBeep]

I was wondering about what kind of reservoir you used for the water. My bottles are nipple water feeders and they love them. We made them from plastic water bottles and a bike water bottle bracket with screw in nipples.

I use a poly 55 gallon drum, I installed a float valve so I can hook up a hose or leave a hose hooked up and it auto fills, and I put in a 250W titanium aquarium heater in there this year (hung at proper height as to no touch the bottom) with an separate thermostatic control module and held it at around 45° all winter... There is also a hot water heater spill pan under the barrel that catches almost all the drips and diverts them outside the coop...

Oh and a Weber grill dome that was from a destroyed grill that fits perfectly on the barrel and prevents them from roosting on top...

 

[FarmerPhronc]

I was wondering about what kind of reservoir you used for the water. My bottles are nipple water feeders and they love them. We made them from plastic water bottles and a bike water bottle bracket with screw in nipples.

That too is made from PVC. As I stated this came as an extra with the coop I purchased. I added the horizontal nipple.
As you can see it forms a "t" and rest on a shelf, sticking down through a hole. I'm sure if you did a search here or on google for "pvc chicken waterer" you'd get plenty of results.



As you can see 2 of my ladies are waiting for me to stop taking pictures and put it back

 

[Sylvester017]

Show a picture of the water pvc please? I am using bottles right now but may want to go to something larger soon.

I think anything you choose that works for you is going to be great! My personal preference because of the hoards of mooching wild birds that can squeeze through coop wires, I like the nipple valve waterers whether used in individual hanging buckets, Rubbermaid jugs, or PVC pipe, or whatever. We have loved the nipple valves for keeping the wild birds from pooping in any kind of open water supply and the water source stays clean of debris, bird poops, or insects like mosquitos, ants, gnats, etc.

 

[FarmerPhronc]

I think anything you choose that works for you is going to be great! My personal preference because of the hoards of mooching wild birds that can squeeze through coop wires, I like the nipple valve waterers whether used in individual hanging buckets, Rubbermaid jugs, or PVC pipe, or whatever. We have loved the nipple valves for keeping the wild birds from pooping in any kind of open water supply and the water source stays clean of debris, bird poops, or insects like mosquitos, ants, gnats, etc.

Yep! That's why I love mine! I rinse it out and refill it once a week. I believe it holds close to 5 gallons of water. The Feeder holds 5+ lbs of food. Currently I have 5 hens. I can see the chicken math attack already. Should be adding more coop and run space over the course of the next few weeks. I like the pvc feeders and waterers because they take up such little room in the run.

 

[Sylvester017]

Cute yes.... But when you have sooooo many you start worrying that your spouse has lost his/her mind.... My husband said only 10... 3 years ago... Now... Just a few more than that... By about 50.....

 

[Sylvester017]

Yep! That's why I love mine! I rinse it out and refill it once a week. I believe it holds close to 5 gallons of water. The Feeder holds 5+ lbs of food. Currently I have 5 hens. I can see the chicken math attack already. Should be adding more coop and run space over the course of the next few weeks. I like the pvc feeders and waterers because they take up such little room in the run.

Whatever works is great! My girls are free-rangers and don't spend time in a coop or run so the portable water jug works best for us. We also got a treadle feeder (yet to set up) to keep the wild birds from mooching the expensive organic feed and scratch!!!! Although our girls will chase off the moochers sometimes! I used to think wild birds were so cute until they invaded our chicken space! That's why we came up with the nipple valve waterers and treadle feeders to stave off the wild bird mooching.

 

[cabinchicky]

Quail pen/double brooder is done and in the coop.35"Lx30"Dx30"H on the bottom and the other two are 18"H. Now to shop for a few things for it. Brooding plates and so on. Then move in my quail once I sort them. I have two males, so I plan to split them and once laying starts I will see which to keep depending on how the hatch goes.

 

[NanaNeen]

Neat thing about pipe, you can make it any length you want and add any kind of filler tube etc. You want. You can use 'Y's and get as fancy as you can imagine. Just need to remember to allow access to install heaters etc.. You can make them modular and screw parts together so they can be taken down as well. I knew all that but took the lazy route with a bucket. I'm already working out a design for my layout

We live in Western NC so we do have freezing Temps. I have not thought of a warmer. I need to investigate this further. I was imagining my self thawing water bottles every morning come winter...

 

[cabinchicky]

Obviously a serious case of crazy chicken lady (or in some cases chicken daddy) denial...   It's becoming much more prevalent these days! You can tell it's a desperate case when a half dozen chickens (read 40+ and growing!) live in housing better than 50% of the human population!   It's all but terminal when other species begin to join the crowd ( turkeys, ducks, guineas, etc)    At that point, you might as well just give up and "roll with it"

Lolol, I am rolling with it proudly. I need to find a shirt yet that states it. The coops aren't as grand as some may think, looks good, keeps them warm and have some electric. But if you had running water and a small wood stove you could rough it in them. Think you would open windows before long trying to make coffee in there.

 

[MeepBeep]

But if you had running water and a small wood stove you could rough it in them. Think you would open windows before long trying to make coffee in there.

Mine coop is 1800 sqft, has running water, electric and a forced air furnace