That's right, IMO this is by far the easiest method to water chickens I've ever used. Maybe not the most economical or greenest but definitely easy. This method works for a few chicks or a few hundred.
I use a piece of angle iron with a water hose ty-wrapped on the end. I know, it sounds too simple to be very good at all. I'll do my best to explain it and even gets some pics posted of my set-up eventually.
It's important to start out right with it for it to last a long time and be effective. First, decide how long of a piece you need. The piece I'm currently using is five feet long. You should sand it with a wire wheel or whatever it takes to remove all rust. Next, get at least two coats of a good outdoor or epoxy primer on it. After that, give it two coats of an epoxy paint. I used rust-o-leum in white to help reflect heat and resist mold and rust. That's really all it takes to get it ready to use. I'm using mine by sticking it through the coop and having one end ty-wrapped higher than the opposite end. Ty-wrap or tie with a piece of string or bailing wire the end of the water hose to the high end of the angle iron. You should just barely turn the water on so as it has just enough (very little) water running through the set-up to create a "flow". If it is flowing too much, your water bill will be outrageous. Also, if it flows enough to allow the chicks to get their nostrils in it, they will make a mess and keep the bottom of the coop/run constantly wet. As I add to my flock with more cages, I will just extend the setup so it passes through all cages. The downside of using it like I am (through the coop) is the chicks will inevitably perch or roost on it. For me, it is not a problem as any dirt/poop from their feet/talons is immediately washed away. If this is a problem, you can always use it in the same manner except not through the coop but along side the coop. Of course, your chicks would need to be able to stick their heads out of the coop to access the water. For me, this set-up serves a few different purposes. Both my caged and free-range chicks always have fresh, clean water without me having to worry about it and, about once every other week while I'm feeding, I throw a scoop of feed into the area where the water runs off. This has created the best earthworm farm I have ever seen. The chicks love to scratch them out of the ground from this area and me and the kids dig them up when we go fishing.
Let me know if any of you are able to make this work for you or if it sounds confusing and clarity is needed. I'll help in any way I can. Again, I'll get some pics posted of mine in the next few days.
Corey
I use a piece of angle iron with a water hose ty-wrapped on the end. I know, it sounds too simple to be very good at all. I'll do my best to explain it and even gets some pics posted of my set-up eventually.
It's important to start out right with it for it to last a long time and be effective. First, decide how long of a piece you need. The piece I'm currently using is five feet long. You should sand it with a wire wheel or whatever it takes to remove all rust. Next, get at least two coats of a good outdoor or epoxy primer on it. After that, give it two coats of an epoxy paint. I used rust-o-leum in white to help reflect heat and resist mold and rust. That's really all it takes to get it ready to use. I'm using mine by sticking it through the coop and having one end ty-wrapped higher than the opposite end. Ty-wrap or tie with a piece of string or bailing wire the end of the water hose to the high end of the angle iron. You should just barely turn the water on so as it has just enough (very little) water running through the set-up to create a "flow". If it is flowing too much, your water bill will be outrageous. Also, if it flows enough to allow the chicks to get their nostrils in it, they will make a mess and keep the bottom of the coop/run constantly wet. As I add to my flock with more cages, I will just extend the setup so it passes through all cages. The downside of using it like I am (through the coop) is the chicks will inevitably perch or roost on it. For me, it is not a problem as any dirt/poop from their feet/talons is immediately washed away. If this is a problem, you can always use it in the same manner except not through the coop but along side the coop. Of course, your chicks would need to be able to stick their heads out of the coop to access the water. For me, this set-up serves a few different purposes. Both my caged and free-range chicks always have fresh, clean water without me having to worry about it and, about once every other week while I'm feeding, I throw a scoop of feed into the area where the water runs off. This has created the best earthworm farm I have ever seen. The chicks love to scratch them out of the ground from this area and me and the kids dig them up when we go fishing.
Let me know if any of you are able to make this work for you or if it sounds confusing and clarity is needed. I'll help in any way I can. Again, I'll get some pics posted of mine in the next few days.
Corey
