Inexpensive automatic chicken waterer and rain water catchment.

[Shimmerpuppy]

Just thought I'd share our water collection and automatic waterer. We have 2 of the defender's pride XL sentinel coops. We added vinyl guttering on both sides to collect water in simple 5 gallon buckets. I do wish that I had bigger collection vessels, but this was available and cheap.
After we got the collection all under control, I plumbed a gravity fed pipe that some chicken waterers can attach to.
My chickens love it, and it was an easy beginner friendly project that didn't break the bank.

 

[Stipenvlerk]

Well done! What about when it rains loads?

 

[Shimmerpuppy]

Well done! What about when it rains loads?

Well....if it rains super hard there is the chance that some of the water will skip over the gutter cause it comes off the roof so fast. But a lot of it will still go into the gutter. The 5 gal bucket is a pinch point. Once it's full, it's full...and then I miss out on any extra water I could collect.
My original idea was to use a 55 gal food grade barrel, but those guys are tall and would've had to build a platform and build out my guttering and plumbing a little more. That was a bit above my current skill set and budget lol.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I do the same, only more roof, and more chickens, so I use a 275 gal food grade tote. Run about $100 (used) in my area, can just move an empty one as a one person job (VERY bulky, 80#???), mostly by dragging. Also, I have goats and ducks, so I attached an automatic dog watering bowl to the plumbing, in addition to the chicken watering cups.

The only time I have to fill mine is after annual cleaning.

 

[Shimmerpuppy]

I do the same, only more roof, and more chickens, so I use a 275 gal food grade tote. Run about $100 (used) in my area, can just move an empty one as a one person job (VERY bulky, 80#???), mostly by dragging. Also, I have goats and ducks, so I attached an automatic dog watering bowl to the plumbing, in addition to the chicken watering cups.

The only time I have to fill mine is after annual cleaning.

We have those big ibc totes for catching rain water off of our power shed for us to use. (We live off grid) They are bulky! As we build out the homestead, and get more animals, my goal is to be able to catch water to water them off of their shelters as well. We have so many projects!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Our barn is about 17x42, as it turns out, 1" of rainfall, one one side of the barn, will completely fill one of those IBC totes - in theory and in practice (because our roof footprint is more like 20x50 - I like overghangs). We lived off the grid for a few months, waiting on the well to be dug, then went almost 5 weeks without rain (in an area that averages 54-57" per year). Suddenly, those calculations become much more important, as I'm sure you understand.

All the best to you!

 

[Shimmerpuppy]

Our barn is about 17x42, as it turns out, 1" of rainfall, one one side of the barn, will completely fill one of those IBC totes - in theory and in practice (because our roof footprint is more like 20x50 - I like overghangs). We lived off the grid for a few months, waiting on the well to be dug, then went almost 5 weeks without rain (in an area that averages 54-57" per year). Suddenly, those calculations become much more important, as I'm sure you understand.

All the best to you!

Yes!!! We are all learning about water conservation and what my husband calls military showers. Very good lessons for my boys.
Thanks for the well wishes!

 

[Sono]

Well....if it rains super hard there is the chance that some of the water will skip over the gutter cause it comes off the roof so fast. But a lot of it will still go into the gutter. The 5 gal bucket is a pinch point. Once it's full, it's full...and then I miss out on any extra water I could collect.
My original idea was to use a 55 gal food grade barrel, but those guys are tall and would've had to build a platform and build out my guttering and plumbing a little more. That was a bit above my current skill set and budget lol.

The sealed plastic 55 gallon barrels can be set on their sides.

 

[Shimmerpuppy]

The sealed plastic 55 gallon barrels can be set on their sides.

Ooo!!! That's a great idea! I may have to do that when I'm ready to upgrade.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Ooo!!! That's a great idea! I may have to do that when I'm ready to upgrade.

just use a MUCH larger pipe as inlet. and make sure you have a full diameter clean out at the bottom.