Reviews of the chicken fountain product?

[pfields]

Update

I removed the pool noodles that I had used along with the new pipe insulation. They were old and seemed to be turning into dust. I don't think they are made to stay out in direct sun out of water.

I bought five more tubes of 3" pipe insulation and a package of 100 pull ties and used it to double up on the garden hose and to put around the whole fountain. I had used silver tape on the joints and noticed it got hot so removed all silver tape and used the pull ties instead. I still have the umbrella over it and I did put a frozen water bottle in it once today. It was 106.8 on our back porch after lunch today. So far those things have kept the water at a better temperature.

We are still going to build a cover over it lined with poly-shield foam board. I have the foam board under all their windows to block out the sun. It really works and it's just $8 a sheet. I'd like to put it in the ceiling of their coop but we just added ridge vents so I better not push it.

This morning I thought I would be smart and start digging a drench to bury the hose in. I couldn't even get the shovel to go into the ground it was so hard. My husband said we should wait until we get rain, a really good rain. I hope that won't mean another tropical storm/hurricane. We've already had a tropical storm this summer.

 

[lynnehd]

Update

I removed the pool noodles that I had used along with the new pipe insulation. They were old and seemed to be turning into dust. I don't think they are made to stay out in direct sun out of water.

I bought five more tubes of 3" pipe insulation and a package of 100 pull ties and used it to double up on the garden hose and to put around the whole fountain. I had used silver tape on the joints and noticed it got hot so removed all silver tape and used the pull ties instead. I still have the umbrella over it and I did put a frozen water bottle in it once today. It was 106.8 on our back porch after lunch today. So far those things have kept the water at a better temperature.

We are still going to build a cover over it lined with poly-shield foam board. I have the foam board under all their windows to block out the sun. It really works and it's just $8 a sheet. I'd like to put it in the ceiling of their coop but we just added ridge vents so I better not push it.

This morning I thought I would be smart and start digging a drench to bury the hose in. I couldn't even get the shovel to go into the ground it was so hard. My husband said we should wait until we get rain, a really good rain. I hope that won't mean another tropical storm/hurricane. We've already had a tropical storm this summer.

Well done!

And I don't want to see you out in a tropical storm trying to dig a trench.

Even in the PNW, we are 103f today. Low humidity, but still...... I'm thinking of installing the foam board you mention under the roofing, at least in the coop, if not the covered area of the run.

 

[pfields]

Thanks!

Awesome, the poly-shield foam board is easy to work with and really works.

 

[JayJo]

pfields that is some crazy hot weather you're dealing with. Hope you get a break from it soon. And lynnehd, 103 in WA state? Wow. This is quite the heat wave we're having! It's been hot in CA too, but maybe high 90s. I can live with that.

I installed the chicken fountain today and my one-month old chicks took to it right away, after I showed them the new water source. They'd been on vertical nipple waterers already so it wasn't much of a leap. The hose isn't installed yet because to do so I'll have to dig under the buried hardware cloth, but I'll tackle that next. I did a dry run before I installed it and there are no leaks. (The water below the fountain is because I was making it flow to show the chicks where the water was.)

Based on pfields' experience I'm just going to go ahead and bury the hose now. It's about a 12 foot run from the fountain to the hose bib, not bad, and I managed to soak the ground anyway experimenting with the fountain so it should be easy to dig out. I got hose insulation which I'll plan to use too. It might disintegrate underground, who knows, but with the heat we're having this summer, I want to do what I can not to be fighting with hot water all the time. Should help with the minor freezes we get in the winter, too.

Anyway based on the 15 minutes I've had this fountain installed, I'm happy with it. It was easy to put together and easy to install, and seems like it will work well.

 

[pfields]

Today I discovered that my chickens were eating the gray pipe insulation that I had used to put on the fountain so I just happen to have some white material that I cut in strips and wrapped around the whole fountain. It's 99 here right now so I also put a frozen bottle of water in the top. The fountain works great, it's the heat wave that's the problem.

 

[Mutt Farm]

The chicken fountain works fine but...if you live where it's really hot and have no place to put it in the shade or inside your run/coop it's probably not for you. We've double insulated our water hose with $40 worth of tube insulation and the garden hose is still hot inside the tubes. I've got an umbrella over the fountain and I've been putting frozen water bottles in the top but the water is so hot they melt quickly. My husband plans on burying the water hose which will be a huge job due to the heat and hard clay soil here in Texas and the distance from the house and then the fountain will still be in the sun and need shade. I didn't realize the white PVC would still absorb so much heat, even the water grade hose we used inside the insulation tubes is white.

None of this is the fault of the fountain itself, it works, but if you live where it's hot and have no shade for it, you might not want to try it.

I've been putting a frozen milk gallon jug of water inside my 5 gallon side nipple bucket water container several times a day just to provide them with cool water. They literally run to it after I put the lid back on.

My plan was for the fountain to be their only source of water but we can see that's not going to work until it gets cold and where we live here on the coast of Texas that won't be until November. We even have the AC on sometimes at Christmas.

It's terribly HOT where I am in So Cal too. 95-105 with blazing sun is normal for months. I looked into the chicken fountain and didn't get one for fear of the water being hot. Even in the shade, 100 is 100. I wanted maintenance free (not a slave to frozen water bottles or changing waterers every day). Even with frozen bottles, the water sitting in the PVC gets warm. I was afraid of loosing chickens)Here's what I made that might work for you until it cools off? You could strap it right to your fence post. It's working GREAT for me. 15 hens, I add a frozen 1 gal ice cube every 3 days the water stays really cool and the hens love it. $22. for the cooler, $15 for parts. Took hub about an hour to make it, 1 day for the aquarium sealer to dry. If you think it would help I can post pics of the parts and stuff.

 

[pfields]

Great idea, I have 46 chickens so I would probably need more than one. I also have a 5 gallon white bucket with side nipples that I put a frozen milk jug of water in and that helps. I change it out once a day.

The fountain is a great idea, it just isn't made for all climates.

I know what you mean about being a slave, I've also got two misters going on them. Yesterday we had to move the misters because the wind switched causing the mist to blow out of the shade. We usually have a southeast wind here all summer until the first cold front and then it quickly switches back. We have three trees in the far corner of the backyard next to the fence, that's where they stay all day. I've got two tarps stretched from the fence to the trees for them to have some extra shade and the misters set up to keep them cool.

 

[Mutt Farm]

Great idea, I have 46 chickens so I would probably need more than one. I also have a 5 gallon white bucket with side nipples that I put a frozen milk jug of water in and that helps. I change it out once a day.

The fountain is a great idea, it just isn't made for all climates.

I know what you mean about being a slave, I've also got two misters going on them. Yesterday we had to move the misters because the wind switched causing the mist to blow out of the shade. We usually have a southeast wind here all summer until the first cold front and then it quickly switches back. We have three trees in the far corner of the backyard next to the fence, that's where they stay all day. I've got two tarps stretched from the fence to the trees for them to have some extra shade and the misters set up to keep them cool.

Oh no! So then you'll need to move the misters again? It's not supposed to be this labor intensive! Wish we could use misters here, that would help a lot, but severe drought. My water bill is killing me. Huge penalties for using extra. I did a tarp too, that really helps. I'm going to do the fountain, but it just won't work here when it's hot. If you want to try the cooler thing, here's pictures of the parts we used and the drill thingy. The black piece has a lip, is cut to thickness of the cooler and the void sealed with aquarium sealer. All parts in the pic are as they go together through the bottom. It's so much easier for me. Don't use too much ice in it or the water will be freezing cold.

 

[pfields]

Thanks for the picture. That will help a lot. Where did you get the black and white parts in the center of the picture?

We have a water well but I'm still careful with my water. The mister is a lifesaver and it doesn't use much water at all. I bought the PVC one on Amazon. It was easy to put together. Yesterday I bought another one at our local Ace Hardware. It's not PVC, just a small beige hose with the mister nozzles. I like the PVC one better.

I have the Brite Tap chicken waterer but the plastic part that goes into the igloo broke and started to leak. Also it was very hard to clean the part where the nipples were. I've spent a fortune on chicken stuff. Even though I sell all my eggs, I don't come close to breaking even.

 

[Mutt Farm]

Thanks for the picture. That will help a lot. Where did you get the black and white parts in the center of the picture?

We have a water well but I'm still careful with my water. The mister is a lifesaver and it doesn't use much water at all. I bought the PVC one on Amazon. It was easy to put together. Yesterday I bought another one at our local Ace Hardware. It's not PVC, just a small beige hose with the mister nozzles. I like the PVC one better.

I have the Brite Tap chicken waterer but the plastic part that goes into the igloo broke and started to leak. Also it was very hard to clean the part where the nipples were. I've spent a fortune on chicken stuff. Even though I sell all my eggs, I don't come close to breaking even.

I skipped the Brite Tap too cause the water would get hot in the reservoir. Good to know it didn't work for you. Re the $$...Shhh...it's chicken math! Ace Hardware for the parts. Here's pictures. I have the rcpt, pm me if you need part #'s.


You may want a washer where the white thingy meets the cooler, we used sealer.