(please) Help me design a solid watering system for my flocks

[affacat]

I did a lot of research on different watering systems, mostly DIY, but I'd really love some help with my specific situation.

First, I have easy access to at least one 8x12 roof, and with hoses could get more.

Second, I have easy access to a well spigot, so can easily top off a reservoir whenever I want.

Third, I'd love to create a system that keeps turkeys, chickens, and a livestock tank well watered.

My two main concerns are winter freeze breaking everything (we live in Oregon, so we usually have a week or two below freezing but it's not crazy lows or anything) and keeping the water safe for the animals (avoiding mildew, etc).

I know very little about any of this. I have ideas, and have looked at various systems, but I'd really like to hear some experienced ideas. We've got 45 chickens and more likely, 8 turkeys that need their own end drinker (different run), and several alpaca and such.

In theory I figure I need to put a tank somewhere, run gutters to it, have a way to fill it from the well via hose, and then build separate mechanics for each target area. But before I start buying tanks and such I figure some of you might tell me to avoid or do something I never thought of .

Plus I have no idea how these things work (if they even do) in the winter.

Thanks in advance! I don't mind spending some money on this, we're always concerned our waterers will go empty but filling them is currently a hassle, especially in the winter.

 

[Debbie292d]

I don't have any input about your entire project, just an idea. You could get the chickens out of the picture by going to either one 55-gallon plastic drum or a few 5-gallon, stick some nipples on them, add a little RV water freshener or ACV, seal the top, and when they need filling, just run a hose over. You can get a small tank heater for those few weeks of freezing weather. For 10 chickens, our 5-gallon lasts 3-4 weeks. So then, the chickens are pretty easily taken care of at least.

For your project, I see similar threads suggested below yours that might be of some help.

Good luck!

 

[affacat]

I don't have any input about your entire project, just an idea. You could get the chickens out of the picture by going to either one 55-gallon plastic drum or a few 5-gallon, stick some nipples on them, add a little RV water freshener or ACV, seal the top, and when they need filling, just run a hose over. You can get a small tank heater for those few weeks of freezing weather. For 10 chickens, our 5-gallon lasts 3-4 weeks. So then, the chickens are pretty easily taken care of at least.

For your project, I see similar threads suggested below yours that might be of some help.

Good luck!

We have a minimum of 40 chickens at any time. We are/were using multiple 5 gallon waterers but they go through them pretty fast and I was hoping to create a better system. Your 55 gallon idea would work, but I need to then figure out the best way to get that water to the chickens.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

@affacat I use my barn roof to feed gutters, which go through a series of filters (to keep out large stuff - leaves, sticks, and eventually pollen) to fill a 275 gallon polytote connected via PVC tubing and Ts to a series of screw in poultry cups and an "automatic" dog watering bowl. Once a year, I empty it and bleach it. I change some of the screens with about equal frequency (the last one is a piece of window screen, actually, but I understand some people use socks! Otherwise, its no maintenance. I get enough rain each month that I only have to refill it after cleaning - the rest of the time I'm more concerned with it regularly overflowing.

there is so much thermal mass, the tank itself never freezes solid (I did get significant Ice when we were sub freezing for 31 hours straight - but that's almost record breaking for my climate) but the polytote is flexible enough it was completely unaffected - though the poultry nipples/cups stoped working, I could have prevented that (probably) with some heat tape and a temporary power source.

Is that the sort of system you are talking about??

 

[affacat]

@affacat I use my barn roof to feed gutters, which go through a series of filters (to keep out large stuff - leaves, sticks, and eventually pollen) to fill a 275 gallon polytote connected via PVC tubing and Ts to a series of screw in poultry cups and an "automatic" dog watering bowl. Once a year, I empty it and bleach it. I change some of the screens with about equal frequency (the last one is a piece of window screen, actually, but I understand some people use socks! Otherwise, its no maintenance. I get enough rain each month that I only have to refill it after cleaning - the rest of the time I'm more concerned with it regularly overflowing.

there is so much thermal mass, the tank itself never freezes solid (I did get significant Ice when we were sub freezing for 31 hours straight - but that's almost record breaking for my climate) but the polytote is flexible enough it was completely unaffected - though the poultry nipples/cups stoped working, I could have prevented that (probably) with some heat tape and a temporary power source.

Is that the sort of system you are talking about??

Yes. That sounds exactly like what I was thinking - a relatively huge tank that serves many purposes. Is your tank a solid color? Do you add anything to keep mildew/bacteria at bay? Did you need to drill holes into it to plumb it?

(Honestly my biggest hang up is drilling holes in it to plumb it, I hate drilling plastic because i feel like I'm going to destroy it somehow.)

I was at tractor supply and they had some blue 50gallon barrels and so I was considering having one per area... Those were something like 150 each though.

Any photos or advice you could offer is welcomed.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Several coats of white spray paint on the outside, bleach once a year, no need to drill any holes.

I'll have to get you some photos

 

[U_Stormcrow]

And the original.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

You can see, I hope, the difference between having a roof near trees (that's all pollen in the first photo), and one not (side of my barn). 1" of rainfall on the barn fills the polytote.

The other, on my goat shed, needs the outside rinsed off again, but the inside is fine, water is still clear (some pollen and stuff settled at the bottom - unavoidable, thus the yearly bleach and clean).

 

[affacat]

Several coats of white spray paint on the outside, bleach once a year, no need to drill any holes.

I'll have to get you some photos

Ok, well, yes you've basically done exactly what I had in my head. A huge tank serving a variety of different needs, from pvc nipples to auto waterers.

Could a stock tank heater keep the main water warm enough to keep nipples from freezing?

Is that an automatic dog waterer? I basically want to accomplish that, but with a larger tank for larger animals. I think I have a float valve in my garage somewhere I can use.

I didn't realize polytote already had that nice outlet at the bottom.

Do you recommend raising the tote higher than ground level for increased water pressure?

 

[affacat]

You can see, I hope, the difference between having a roof near trees (that's all pollen in the first photo), and one not (side of my barn). 1" of rainfall on the barn fills the polytote.

The other, on my goat shed, needs the outside rinsed off again, but the inside is fine, water is still clear (some pollen and stuff settled at the bottom - unavoidable, thus the yearly bleach and clean).

So I wrote the last post last night but my battery died.

I was just at a local feed store and they had an old polytote with the top cut off. I asked if they were selling it and they sold it to me for $20.

I'll need a way to roof it (do you think it should be airtight or is a basic roof enough) but I couldn't turn it down... Meant to be