What kind of watering system do you use? Do you use the same system in the winter?

[rockgirl365]

Just curious to know what the other flock keepers use. I use a hanging water bucket with drip nipples on the bottom. My chickens peck at it and suck off it when they're thirsty.

 

[Sally PB]

I use a hanging water bucket with drip nipples on the bottom.

That's called a vertical nipple waterer. I had one, I found it dripped, which was ok outside in the summer. My cockerel would watch the drip fall, then look for it on the ground.

I've had open waterers... the water gets icky and stuff gets in it. I've gotten a horizontal nipple waterer with the little cups, and those got stuff in them too. A regular HN waterer was baffling to my cockerel ; he couldn't figure it out.

I made a waterer out of a milk jug. I put a peanut butter jar full of sand in it for ballast, which also works as a heat sink, because I bring it in at night and set it by the wood stove. That was free, works well, and will probably freeze in the middle of winter, keeping me busy going out with warm water. (Yup, that's Michigan, ain't it!)

I may get a heated waterer. The open style waterer, whether purchased or made from a milk jug, has been the easiest for my chickens to use. Especially my cockerel.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I have a gutter on a roof that feeds a pair of 275 gal water totes. They have PVC pipe connected at the valve which has watering cups attached and ends in a hose fitting, so I can attach an automatic dog bowl for the ducks. I also have an automatic float system which fills a 5" K style PVC gutter. All require periodic checks to pour out dirt/sand, clean, or otherwise keep functional. and the watering cups drip where they screw into the PVC Pipe, so I have clear plastic trays under the drips. The chickens drink from there more often than they use the cups.

Giving thought to how to extend the system, just laid out a new (roughly) 40' x 40' run, need to get water there w/o it freezing on those rare occasions when we are in the 20s for a few hours.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I use horizontal nipples in a bucket with a built in heating element for winter. During rest of the year, it's unplugged. My birds preferred vertical nipples but it was impossible to keep them from freezing externally in a moderate frost or worse.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I use a Galvanized fount with a heated base during winter season in my well ventilated coops.

I use the same waterer during warmer weather with 1 foot pavers underneath.
Outside I use rubber bowls during winter season and galvanized pails rest of the year.

GC

 

[HuffleClaw]

I stick to what I use all year. It doesn’t get too cold here (I live in the South) so I rarely worry about frozen waterers. However, if they do freeze I just change them and go on with my day

 

[blackdog043]

Here's an article for my set up, just add the stock tank deicer for the winter.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ock-tank-deicer-and-horizontal-nipples.74609/