Automatic watering system prototype

[My Bagurks]

Hello all.

I have a flock of 33 birds. 7 fully grown and laying and 26 more that are 6 weeks old. I have played around with different ways to water them. I prefer to have an open water source for my chickens so I haven’t been using nipple waterers. I attempted an idea I saw online for an automatic waterer, but with no success. Right now my kids or I go down daily and fill the water buckets with the hose. My schedule is pretty tight, so I’ve been working on streamlining the chicken rearing process. Here is what I came up with.
The coop is situated next to a hill, so I figured I could bury a container into the hill to keep it from freezing and running water lines underground to the waterers.

I started with a 5 gal bucket And drilled a hole in the bottom for a pvc fitting to go into. I used pex tubing and put a T to go to both groups of chickens that I have separated. As of right now, the lines are just coming out of the ground because I discovered my idea wont work with the waterers I have now. When I pick up two more buckets I will post the rest of the pictures. But I will be using toilet float valves in the buckets to achieve the “automatic” part. But here is what I have so far.

 

[PacsMan7]

Interesting set up. I’m from Louisiana so we don’t have to worry about freezing. I went with the nipple system and it’s working well for me. I’m very interested to see your completed solution.

 

[My Bagurks]

Thanks. Should only be a day or two until it’s finished. I’m not too worried about freezing but keeping it cool in the summer is the bigger reason for burying everything. There’s a spring fed creek running through the property that I plan on working into the equation.

 

[Dustin07]

I'm curious about your set up as well. I'm really frustrated with the watering setup I use now as it seems to either leak, or the birds just make a wild mess of it.

 

[My Bagurks]

Ok. So I’ll put up some pictures of what I did. But it didn’t work as I had hoped. I put the valves into the buckets and had everything the way I saw it in my head. What I did not know is that most toilet float valves require 20psi to work. I obviously don’t have 20psi coming from my fill bucket. I attempted to cut some seals and I rings to make them lower pressure, but when I assembled it all, it didn’t work. I only completed one waterer because I had my doubts.

I will get the parts tomorrow for my Waterer 2.0. I am going to get a float valve that requires no water pressure and run the water line to the side of the bucket instead of the bottom.

I do intend on burying a permanent water line down to the coop, but renting a ditch witch isn’t in the cards in the near future. Here’s what I did so far. I hope my mistakes can help you guys out. I will be posting my finished product in a day or two.

 

[My Bagurks]

As a side note, I will mention that the coupling nut that goes to a toilet valves fits 3/8 pex tubing perfectly and seals. You have to stretch the rubber washer a bit, but it works.

 

[ZephyrCoveFarms]

You need to get that bucket up high if you want the water to gravity feed.

 

[aart]

Interesting.
How high up(above drinker bucket) is the reservoir bucket on the hill?

Oh, and... Welcome to BYC! @My Bagurks
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[My Bagurks]

Sorry for the late reply. The bottom of the reservoir bucket is only six inches above the top of the waterer buckets. I will update my infor. But I am in western Alabama.
Instead of going with low pressure float valves, I am getting rid of the reservoir bucket and running water from the house straight to the lines I have buried so pressure won’t be an issue.
Also, another big update. The buckets are 9 feet apart so I am in the process of putting a 4in pvc pipe between the two buckets to act as a troff so the buckets don’t get crowded. I’ve been busy as of late but I will post more pictures soon.

 

[RebekahTN]

Hello all.

I have a flock of 33 birds. 7 fully grown and laying and 26 more that are 6 weeks old. I have played around with different ways to water them. I prefer to have an open water source for my chickens so I haven’t been using nipple waterers. I attempted an idea I saw online for an automatic waterer, but with no success. Right now my kids or I go down daily and fill the water buckets with the hose. My schedule is pretty tight, so I’ve been working on streamlining the chicken rearing process. Here is what I came up with.
The coop is situated next to a hill, so I figured I could bury a container into the hill to keep it from freezing and running water lines underground to the waterers.

I started with a 5 gal bucket And drilled a hole in the bottom for a pvc fitting to go into. I used pex tubing and put a T to go to both groups of chickens that I have separated. As of right now, the lines are just coming out of the ground because I discovered my idea wont work with the waterers I have now. When I pick up two more buckets I will post the rest of the pictures. But I will be using toilet float valves in the buckets to achieve the “automatic” part. But here is what I have so far.

This looks interesting, have you thought about going from a 55 gallon drum? It looks like you have a 5 gallon system going to 2 different 5 gallon water systems. With that many in an open bowl system I would think you would still be filling it daily.
even if they are going to smaller bowls, which it sounds like you might be doing.... in an open bowl system it seems that would go pretty quickly. It wouldn't be as bad going to nipples as there is less waste, but I know you said you didn't like those.
I'll be watching this thread for updates.