Keeping Water Clean

[wqcustom]

Quote:
I'm wondering the same thing...how to do it without leaking.

 

[DTRM30]

BankerJohn - I LOVE that coop ! Wish I had seen it before I built mine .... I'll keep that design in mind for my next one, though

I may go with your watering method as well. It'll save me on trips to fill their 2 1-gallon hanging ones.

 

[Neil Grassbaugh]

Quote:
I'm wondering the same thing...how to do it without leaking.

If you want to attach PVC pipe directly to the storage container the best, sure, way to do it is with a "bulkhead fitting." These are the upper end of this type fitting and can cost around $6.00 At least the ones I sell are about that much. The black stuff is the bulkhead fitting. The 90 deg hose barb (or a straight out one) is how you connect the hose. Or you can use the interior thread to attach PVC pipe.

Then you have the econo model-
I really don't know where to start to find these.

[URL]http://www.lascofittings.com/default.asp?contentType=Catalog&strSearch=hdnItemID|10012606&strItemAction=detail&prevStrSearch=Submit|Search||txtKeywords|drip pan fitting[/URL]

Ever since the beginning of the plastic age people have tried to improvise making a bulkhead fitting with . . . parts. Well that might work but the essential "part" is a pound of silicone sealant. Just buy the right thing to begin with and save the expense and aggravation.

Then there is the easy, cheap way. Bore a slightly undersize hole and force soft thick wall tubing thru the hole in the storage container for a water tight low pressure fitting. What I have is a tubing that works very well with an 11/32" hole. Doing it this way you have a flexible connection to the drinker pipe without any hard plumbing that costs more and is hard to change or adjust heights.

If you are using a plastic drum there is a IPT port on the bung that you can screw a hose barb into. Pretty much have to have the barrel on its side however to make this work.

 

[racuda]

BankerJohn, how long did it take for the chickens to learn to drink from the nipples? Did you leave a conventional waterer in place during the transition, or did you switch them "cold turkey"?

Also for those of us in locations where water freezes I wonder if it could be made freeze-proof?

 

[BJnMe]

Step one order the nipples from Neil Grassbaugh.

Step two get the nipples out of the mail box.(properly dispose of the packaging so you don't get yelled at by your wife for tearing open your new toys leaving the packaging all through the house)

Step three drill holes in the bottom of a 5 gal bucket.

Step four screw the nipples into the holes and fill with water.

Step five hang the bucket in the coop so the chickens can reach it. Step 5.5 rehang the bucket after you realize the rope stretched when you filled the bucket.

Step six bring the chickens in and see if they use it.

Step seven if the chickens don't get it cluck and poke the nipples putting the drops of water on their beak.


Sorry if I went too long with that. All told it took the chickens less than five minutes to learn it. You only need to teach one and they will all WANT to try it.


If you use the 5 gal bucket you can buy a small submersible aquarium heater and put it in the bucket.

 

[racuda]

Quote:
Aquarium heaters have a nasty habit of shattering when the water gets too low. Does anyone have any other ideas for keeping the water thawed in the winter?

 

[BJnMe]

Quote:
Aquarium heaters have a nasty habit of shattering when the water gets too low. Does anyone have any other ideas for keeping the water thawed in the winter?

Aquarium-Submersible-Unbreakable-Heater

 

[BankerJohn]

I did switch them COLD TURKEY. I took 2 of the chicks that I could catch and held them up to the nipple and poked their beak into the metal piece allowing water to drip onto and into their mouth/beak. Then I let them alone. It took all of about7 minutes for one of them to try it. Once one tried it, all were drinking within 5 minutes from the nipples.

 

[greathorse]

How many birds per nipple in both chicks and adults. I am going to do this in my brooder and have as many as 50 chicks in there at a time. Is one nipple enough?

 

[Ryan McEachern]

No.

I bought mine locally here in the Fraser Valley and the sales rep said up to 10 birds per nipple. I have about 2 birds per nipple right now and they don't all get used thats for sure.

-Ryan