How to Make an Automatic Poultry Waterer
Providing chickens with fresh water at all times is one of the most important aspects of keeping chickens healthy. Adequate hydration is vital for digestion and metabolism. Without adequate hydration, hens will stop laying eggs. People without access to running water near the coop must haul buckets of water to the coops. Automatic poultry waterers can instead provide chickens with fresh water at all times without causing back-breaking work for the owner.
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Things You'll Need
- 5-gallon bucket with tight-fitting lid
- Drill with drill bit
- Scissors
- Bell-style waterer
- Needle-nose pliers
Instructions
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1
Drill a hole in the side of the bucket near the bottom. The hole should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the tubing supplied with the waterer.
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2
Cut a 45-degree angle on the end of tubing.
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3
Feed the sharpened end of the tubing through the hole in the bucket. Use the needle-nose pliers to pull the tubing until there is at least 2 inches of tubing inside the bucket.
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4
Suspend the waterer inside the coop. The lip of the waterer should be at the same height as the chickens' backs.
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5
Install the bucket high enough on a ledge so the water will gravity feed into the waterer. Make sure the ledge is strong enough to hold the weight of the bucket once it has been filled with water.
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6
Fill the bucket with water and replace the lid. Make sure the water is feeding into the waterer.
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1
Tips & Warnings
For ease of refilling, the bucket should be mounted outside the coop. If the coop has solid walls, drill a hole and feed the tubing through the wall before connecting the bucket to the waterer.
Waterers can fail at any time. Make sure chickens have access to a back-up water source. This is particularly important during hot weather.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit hen drinking from old bucket image by Ashley Djuricin from Fotolia.com
