Total newbie, be kind - water question for initial coop set up

[UxbridgeNewbieChickenMama]

Hi all,

We are in Ontario, very long and cold winters.

We have a cash crop farm and are thinking of having an arrangement with someone who knows how to maintain a chicken coop on our property for a share in the eggs.

We have had a few people reply to an ad I created on FB, it seems as though they would set up a system that has auto feeders and waterers, and they would come by once weekly to clean etc.

We have a frost free hydrant tap that is buried 4ft under, to our well.

Is it possible to set auto-waterers up with a hydrant tap?

Any suggestions are extremely well appreciated! Remember I have zero experience in this, and am at the very beginning of our learning process

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I don't know anything about such a watering system, but I wanted to respond so you would know that we hear you, and to wish you luck. Also I suggest you get everything in writing and have a lawyer look things over to think of anything that could go wrong and how to protect yourself in case they do. Nothing worse than bad blood between neighbors/ friends when things go south, especially when it's on your property. If pipes burst, water leaks, chickens die, eggs don't get collected and burst from freezing, predators get in and kill the chickens, who bears the losses, etc. Lots to think about. I wish you well and all success.

 

[UxbridgeNewbieChickenMama]

I don't know anything about such a watering system, but I wanted to respond so you would know that we hear you, and to wish you luck. Also I suggest you get everything in writing and have a lawyer look things over to think of anything that could go wrong and how to protect yourself in case they do. Nothing worse than bad blood between neighbors/ friends when things go south, especially when it's on your property. If pipes burst, water leaks, chickens die, eggs don't get collected and burst from freezing, predators get in and kill the chickens, who bears the losses, etc. Lots to think about. I wish you well and all success.

Thank you for this advice, I completely agree with you. There is a lot for us to learn before we enter any arrangement, and as a newbie I don't even know tbh what could go wrong, so this is a must have to cover all the bases. We will be doing a lot of due diligence as we consider this arrangement for sure

 

[RojoMarz]

Even with a frost free hydrant tap that is buried 4ft under, to your well, the water will freeze in the coop/run, unless you provide electricty to run something to prevent the water from freezing.