Watering my birds

[craveman85]

I currently have a galvanized gravity feeder that sits on a heated base in my coop. If it's not perfectly level, even the slightest bit, it seems that all the water slowly seeps out. I feel I'm wasting at least half. They also keep getting bedding into it and then won't drink it. I'm considering nipples on a bucket but I'm concerned about how well they will work in the cold. Will an aquarium heater in a bucket be sufficient? It gets well below zero here with the wind chill on winter nights. Coldest I've seen without the wind chill was -24.

 

[Newmamabear]

I currently have a galvanized gravity feeder that sits on a heated base in my coop. If it's not perfectly level, even the slightest bit, it seems that all the water slowly seeps out. I feel I'm wasting at least half. They also keep getting bedding into it and then won't drink it. I'm considering nipples on a bucket but I'm concerned about how well they will work in the cold. Will an aquarium heater in a bucket be sufficient? It gets well below zero here with the wind chill on winter nights. Coldest I've seen without the wind chill was -24.

Well I spose if it's in your coop the wind chill will be a moot point but I've yet to find a galvanized waterer that I like. I liked to pressure wash mine occasionally and if they flew away and got a little dent they would get air seepage someplace. If yours is nice and not dented make sure you push it down far enough over the hole at the bottom so it doesn't lightly overfill and seep out there. I don't trust mine enough now to use them solely and I use them outside only now instead of inside just for that reason. Anyhow. I'm going to try water nipples in some pvc piping this winter to a 45 gallon drum and I was planning on using some acrylic aquarium heater in it too. We can exchange notes.

 

[WyoHens]

I've had a few water configurations through the years and my favorite by far is a bucket (mine is square but any will work) with horizontal, spring loaded nipples installed, not the vertical drip nipples. The water stays very clean and little drips out or is wasted. I live where it's very cold (-30 degrees, colder with windchill) and every method we've tried water still freezes or I'm afraid I'll burn the coop down. In the winter we put a small bird bath heater (bought at local Murdoch's store) in the bucket, hole cut in the lid for power plug to pass through (this does allow some bedding to get inside but not much, summertime I put a cork in the hole to plug it), and the horizontal nipples don't freeze because they eject the water back into the bucket whereas every vertical nipple I've used the droplets in the nipples freeze even if the reservoir is heated. It's been wonderful. In the summer I have different waters available and the horizontal nipples seem to be the chickens' preference but in the winter due to freezing it's the only style I use.

 

[craveman85]

Will spring loaded nipples work on the side? Maybe an inch from the bottom. I've got plenty of 5 gallon buckets and I could build a riser for my heater so it's at a good level for them. I could put a circulator pump inside too

 

[craveman85]

I may insulate the coop a little too. That should help with the water freezing. I've got some 1.5" foam rubber sheets that I plan on screwing to the walls behind plywood. Non absorbent and I've got a piece that's been outside 15 years with no breakdown

 

[mechanic57]

I've had a few water configurations through the years and my favorite by far is a bucket (mine is square but any will work) with horizontal, spring loaded nipples installed, not the vertical drip nipples. The water stays very clean and little drips out or is wasted. I live where it's very cold (-30 degrees, colder with windchill) and every method we've tried water still freezes or I'm afraid I'll burn the coop down. In the winter we put a small bird bath heater (bought at local Murdoch's store) in the bucket, hole cut in the lid for power plug to pass through (this does allow some bedding to get inside but not much, summertime I put a cork in the hole to plug it), and the horizontal nipples don't freeze because they eject the water back into the bucket whereas every vertical nipple I've used the droplets in the nipples freeze even if the reservoir is heated. It's been wonderful. In the summer I have different waters available and the horizontal nipples seem to be the chickens' preference but in the winter due to freezing it's the only style I use.

Do you have a photo of your water setup?

 

[WyoHens]

Yes, horizontal nipples install on the side. I like them too because bucket height isn't nearly as important as with vertical nipples. My waterers with horizontal nipples just sit on a thick hunk of wood to get it elevated a little. And I think our nipples are about an inch from the bucket bottom.

 

[WyoHens]

I don't but I can take a picture. I'll try to post it in a couple days.

 

[WyoHens]

Here's a picture of my winter water, but the heater isn't currently inside since it's summer. Horizontal nipples about an inch off the bottom, bird bath heater goes inside in winter months, and cord out the hole in the lid (which is corked for summer use right now). It gets cold here and this never froze, it's been very good. This winter I'm going to upsize my bucket to a 5-gal round with more nipples and see if this heater will keep up in that volume.

 

[mechanic57]

I ordered those and will try them. Never had luck with the vertical nipples and the birds seem to do everything they can to crap in their drinking water if it's not totally enclosed.