Stumped by a waterer

[crooked stripe]

I bought this galvanized 5 gallon waterer new. As the chickens drink the water empties but the tank remains full. Seems like there is some kind of vacuum that keeps the water from coming out. Once I fix the vacuum the water keeps coming out. I built this dead level platform for it to sit on. There is a pin that comes out from the bottom that the top locks on to. Is this correct? Is this waterer made to hang from something and I bought the wrong kind? Any advice out there? I need some. I am about ready to pull my hair out. John

 

[Ridgerunner]

It needs the vacuum to hold the water in until it drops to a certain level, then the drinking part should refill. I don't recognize it from your description. Is there some way you could post a picture.

How to post pictures/avatar
http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=26838

 

[underground chickenman]

Sounds like a double wall waterer, which is the same one I have. It is not meant to be hung. Let it sit level and it will eventually fill went the level in the pan gets low enough. When you put the outer part on, you slide the pin in the slot and twist it to lock it. Sounds like you have it set up correctly.

If it is defective, that's another matter, but it sounds like everything is fine. Just check the water after a few hours or a day and see it is refilling.

UGCM

 

[crooked stripe]

The waterer doesn't fill once the tray is empty but the tank is still full of water. Here are a couple pics.

 

[teach1rusl]

That's the brand I have, except mine is only a 2 or 3 gallon size. So does the water run out quickly when you're filling it up, before you put the top on??? You know, like I literally have to stick my finger in the little outlet area so that I don't lose water so quickly while I'm filling, and then rush to put the top on so that it doesn't overflow... So does it do THAT okay?? If so, and it's just not refilling as they drink, then I think you have a defective one. I do notice when I pick mine up by that handle on the top, it seems to break the seal a bit, cause more water drains down. Also, I did find that if I tilted mine just slightly a certain way, it drained better or worse (depending on which way it was tilted).
It does sound like you're doing everything right. So experiment with a slight tilt different ways, and kind of lift up a bit on that handle to loosen the seal just a bit. If neither of those things work, I'd go for a refund.

 

[underground chickenman]

In the first pic, it won't fill because the outer shell is off. When you put the outer shell over the inner bucket, the wall of the outer shell should push in the copper strip on the side of the bucket, which has a rubber plug on it. When the outer wall is put on, the rubber plug gets pushed away from the hole and it fills the tray. Try this....Without the outer shell on, push on the copper strip and make sure it is unseating the rubber plug. The only reason I can see that it wouldn't fill is because the copper is pushing through the rubber plug and the plug is actually stuck in the hole. If that is the case, it is defective.

If it fills initially, but doesn't refill when it is emptied by the chickens drinking, it may be too tight of a fit. You need a vacuum, but if there is too much suction, it might not fill.

In either case above, I would return it.

UGCM

 

[crooked stripe]

As teach 1 says the water runs through the hole even when the top is off. It does run faster with the lid on. Once I place it on the level platform the chickens drink the trough empty and there it sits till I break the vacuum to fill it again. 15 chickens can drink it empty in about 1/2 hour. No good for me, I have to work all day. How can something so simple be such a pain? I am thinking going back to my home made one. I could always depend on it. I just thought this one would keep the water cooler.

 

[underground chickenman]

Can you hang a 5 gallon bucket in the coop? If so, I would get one of those and either put some water nipples in the bottom of it at drinking height, or run a 1-inch PVC pipe out of it with the nipples inserted into the pipe at intervals.

Like this:

http://www.avianaquamiser.com/bucketwaterers/

I bought some nipples from farm tek. I got the push-in kind with the rubber grommet.

I'd still take the drinker back. It sounds like it doesn't work.

UGCM