Choose a drinker for chickens or do it yourself

Many farmers keep chickens on their farm. This poultry can give both a lot of eggs and tasty meat. However, in order for the productivity of these individuals to be high, they need to provide ideal conditions for keeping. It is important to make sure that the chickens live in good and comfortable conditions. Separately, it is worth considering what should be the drinkers in the chicken coop and how they can be built with your own hands.

Basic requirements

A good drinker for hens or small chickens is not at all necessary to look for in specialized outlets or markets. Many poultry farmers prefer to make these designs on their own.

In this case, you can independently design the optimal model of a drinking bowl of suitable sizes.

True, before starting work on its creation, it is necessary to deal with the list of basic requirements that apply to it.

• A drinker for poultry must be reliable and stable, not subject to damage in the event of “aggressive” mechanical influences. Otherwise, birds can accidentally damage the structure or overturn, because of which all their “neighborhood” will be left without water.
• It is necessary to pay due attention to the edges of homemade drinkers. They must be neat and even so that birds cannot accidentally get hurt on them.
• The drinker must be practical so that you can easily and quickly pour water into it or replace it.
• Drinking bowls for chickens must be closed. If the containers are open, the liquid in them will not be clean, and the hens should not drink contaminated water.
• Experts advise making drinking bowls from special food-grade plastic, from which any precipitation is washed off very easily and quickly. It is permissible to refer to the tree. The main thing is that the material from which the drinker is made is of high quality and environmentally friendly, without aggressive chemicals and impurities.
• From the surface of the drinker, any precipitation should be washed off easily and without residue.
• If you keep birds in the northern regions, then here you need to protect the drinkers from destructive freezing. To do this, they make and install small-sized heaters and put them under the structures themselves.

To operate a drinker for all kinds of birds – and broilers, and daily babies, and chickens, it is recommended to make it automatic. Such models are filled directly from the water supply. Such options are very convenient and simple. A poultry farmer with these drinkers does not have to constantly keep them under control.

Varieties

There are several types of drinking bowls for chickens. They have different designs and work differently too. Let us consider in more detail what types of drinkers for chickens exist and what parameters they have.

Simple

Simple models have an elementary structure and are ordinary tanks. These can be basins, bowls, plastic bowls of various sizes, galvanized or enameled iron containers.

Similar types of drinkers are recommended to be placed in a poultry house for small chickens. For example, for one-day-old babies, it is permissible to put a small saucer, and fix a jar in the center and add water. But you need to make sure that little birds do not spill water.

Do not forget that wet chickens can get sick and die from the cold.

Vacuum

Otherwise, these models are called siphon. These specimens are considered the most successful for a small number of birds (from 10 to 12 heads). Similar designs work according to a simple principle – the liquid in the container does not pour out under pressure, remaining in a vacuum.

It is quite possible to build a vacuum drinking bowl with your own hands. It will not take a lot of free time or expensive materials. A clean liquid should be poured into a separate container, and then a saucer or a bowl of small depth should be placed on the neck in the upper part on small wooden spacers. Next, the container will need to be turned over. At first, a small amount of water will pour out, but then the flow will stop. The liquid will fill the container as it is spent.

In special stores, you can find special bowls for models of this type. They initially have a deepening done. All that is required from the poultry breeder is just to pour clean water into the container.

The main drawback of the vacuum system is that birds can easily turn the structure over.

That is why, instead of home-made, it is often advisable to use a ready-made purchased product.

They have a democratic price and do not require large expenses. Particularly good is the specimen with legs – it will be more stable in comparison with other types of vacuum drinkers.

Cup

It is possible to build drinking bowl systems of the indicated subspecies with your own hands, but this will be a difficult task. Many poultry farmers prefer to purchase ready-made cup drinkers for their feathered wards. The device of such models cannot be called too complicated – a bowl and a special tongue with a valve are fixed at the base. The tongue is located on top of the liquid and, as it decreases, opens the valve. After that, the water is again sent to the cup, filling it to the desired level.

On top of this whole structure there is a special screw responsible for the adjustment. It allows you to adjust the level of liquid in the cup. Water flows through the fitting to which the hose is attached. Another end of the hose is attached to a vessel with liquid.

Nipple

The second name of these drinkers is drip. They work according to an elementary scheme: water enters a PVC tube, into which nipples are screwed at a specific interval.

The liquid in this tube moves from a certain container, for example, a plastic canister, fixed at a level slightly higher than the structure itself.

It turns out a simple automatic drinker, where it will only be necessary to add liquid to the container.

The described autodrinker is one of the most convenient in operation. It is possible to build it with your own hands. Moreover, many craftsmen modify these designs, making them even more functional and practical in their own way.

How to make a drinker?

It was already mentioned above that most models of drinkers can be made independently. In order for such a design to turn out to be of high quality, safe and convenient, it is better to do it based on diagrams and instructions, especially if you are doing such work for the first time. Let’s analyze several options for the assembly guide for drinking bowls for chickens.

First, we will analyze how it is possible to build a vacuum structure on our own. We must try to make it as stable and strong as possible. An option made from plastic bottles, of which there are many on the farm, is suitable. You will also need to take a regular plastic bowl with high sides. They will be just above the line of the neck of the birds. It is advisable to take bottles of at least 5 liters in volume. In them, at a level of 15 cm from the bottom, you will need to make holes, and then, in a filled state, move them into a plastic basin.

Water will flow out, overflow the gap between the container and the sides of the dish, after which it will be held slightly above the hole point.

When the water runs out, the level in the basin will decrease, the hole in the wall of the bottle will become noticeable. Air will get into it, the pressure of the air bubble will change, and the water will again go to the pelvis. A container of 5 liters will be enough for a day for 10 hens.

One of the most practical in use is considered to be nipple drinkers for birds. The specified home-made design is very economical and in demand in matters of hygiene. Water in this case can be in a variety of vessels. For example, it could be a bucket. The basis in this model is a dropper, which is launched by a chicken command.

That is why ordinary nipple systems appear to be a suspended bucket with nipples protruding from the bottom.

This model can operate from a storage tank or be flow-through.

To make the model described above on your own, the home master will need certain skills in plumbing work, as well as a little patience. As a result, you can get a drinker that will in no way be inferior to the designs that are present in poultry farms. To complete all the work, you will need the following components.

• You will need a round or square plastic pipe and nipples. There should be grooves inside it. The optimal wall thickness is 22 mm.
• You will need special end caps. They must come with an adapter for connecting to the highway.
• Prepare a flexible hose for the connection, as well as clamps for hanging the pipe.
• Prepare a 9 mm drill and a 1/8 inch tap.

Having all these things, it is worth moving on to the construction of a nipple drinker. The procedure here will be as follows:

• the first step is to mark the pipe;
• from the side of the grooves it will be necessary to drill holes;
• thread is cut;
• nipples are screwed;
• ends are closed;
• drop eliminators are fixed and fixed;
• the structure is installed on the wall in the poultry house;
• liquid for drinking birds is supplied there.

You can use clear schemes when creating nipple instances. It is advisable to choose European nipples – they are more reliable and durable. You also need to pick up a plastic pipe and mounting equipment. It won’t take long. The pipe will need to be muffled from the ends, making markings for the nipples. They should be placed every 30 cm. You only need to make holes, make threads and tighten the nipples with sealing tape or tow. It will be necessary to make sure that all connecting sections are tight. Only after that it will be possible to supply liquid from the vessel through the embedded hose.

Saucers made from the bottoms of plastic bottles can act as drop catchers. Such small and light cups in a situation where the nipple skips will be responsible for ensuring that the litter does not get wet.

It is possible to create a long drinker for chickens from a sewer pipe. We will analyze the instructions for its manufacture.

• Take a plastic pipe 1,5 m long and 15 cm in diameter. Put a plug on one of its ends, and a bend on the second.
• Attach a building level to the pipe and draw even strips on both sides of it.
• Take a medium-sized rectangular bar 25-35 cm long. Make marks for the planned holes with it. The first of them will need to be drawn at a distance of 10-20 cm from the edge of the pipe. Additionally, place marks on those parts where you will need to make cuts.
• At the edges of the marked rectangles, make small holes using a screwdriver or drill. To prevent the drill from jumping off, initially make small indentations with a nail or awl.
• Prepare the holes, cut out the necessary mold on the surface of the pipe with a jigsaw. If there are irregularities, they must be eliminated with sandpaper.
• Having cut all the necessary holes, put special fixing elements or latches. Next, they will need to be attached to a wooden stand.

It is possible to put the finished structure on the ground, and pour water into it through a bend. The pipe is allowed to be connected to an existing water supply so that its filling with water is as simple and hassle-free as possible.

It is impossible to describe absolutely all the schemes for making drinkers for chickens. Home craftsmen are constantly making something new and more practical, developing fresh original ideas. The main thing is to use high-quality materials for this and act slowly. It is also always necessary to check the structure for stability and leakage.

Simple drinking containers

Drinking containers can be not only automatic, but also very simple, made from improvised materials. For example, it can be a simple design made from a plastic canister. It can be built quickly and easily.

• First you will need to thoroughly rinse the canister you have selected. Detergents should not be used for this.
• Now you need to screw on the lid and put the canister on its side.
• Cut out rectangular holes with a utility knife. Fill the container with clean water.

A similar drinker can be made from a large 5-liter bottle. Only it will not need to be put on the bottom, but you will also need to fill it up on its side.

Cut out rectangular horizontal holes in the bottle. At least 10 cm must be measured from the bottom. Pour water into the container.

How to place correctly?

It is not enough to make a drinking bowl for a chicken coop or a cage of high quality, it still needs to be placed in the most suitable place for this. Birds must always have access to clean water. This applies to both the chicken coop itself and the bird walking area.

If we are talking about a nipple drinker, it must be installed at a certain angle.

If you want such a model to work correctly, it should be fixed in such a way that it deviates vertically by no more than 30 degrees.

It is most convenient to place drinkers near the walls. Bird feeders are also recommended there. This arrangement of containers is due to the fact that chickens are not the most accurate birds and can scatter food and splash water. It is permissible to install drinkers between perches or nests. The main thing is that they are clearly visible to all chickens.

Recommendations for use

The drinker in the chicken coop must be used correctly. Consider a few recommendations for the operation of these structures.

• One bird should drink an average of 0,5 liters of fluid daily. The volume may vary depending on the temperature regime and the amount of food eaten. In accordance with these features, it can be concluded that it is not difficult to make a drinker from improvised means with your own hands.

• Only use drinkers that do not have sharp edges. If any remain during manufacture, they must be leveled, otherwise the bird may be seriously injured.

• When using bird drinkers, it is very important to ensure that the water in them is only clean. No chicken droppings, no dirt, no other debris should be in it in any case. Always keep the situation under control. That is why experienced poultry farmers recommend making or buying closed drinkers, which you do not need to constantly monitor.

• Install heating elements under the containers, if necessary.

• Make sure that there is no sediment on the walls of the containers. You need to get rid of it as soon as possible.

• Fix the homemade drinker well, even if you put it not for chickens, but for adults. Thus, you insure against the fall of the structure, because the hens can overturn it and pour out all the water.

• Always keep an eye on the water level in the tanks. Birds should always have access to fresh and clean water. If it ends and the birds will be without it for a long time, then nothing good will come of it, especially if it is a hot summer outside.

Useful Tips

A drinking bowl filled with clean and fresh water is a guarantee of health and activity of chickens at any age. If you decide to make this important structure with your own hands, then you should have some useful tips and recommendations from experienced poultry farmers in stock.

• When choosing which drinker to make for your feathered wards, you must remember that standard open designs have the most disadvantages. Firstly, chickens very often knock them over, leaving the entire house without drinking. Secondly, the birds are always swarming, which is why the water in open drinking bowls is quickly polluted and it will have to be changed daily. It is important to keep these nuances in mind when deciding which drinker to build.

• If you choose the most efficient and convenient drinker, then, according to most poultry farmers, this is a nipple model. You can install it in an open area, and in a cage, and in a bird shed. But keep in mind – it will take longer to make it than a simple vacuum or open design.

• Before you independently collect and put a drinker in the chicken coop, you need to consider that the chickens must reach for the liquid. Due to this feature, water freely enters the goiter of birds.

• If you are making a vacuum drinker from plastic bottles yourself, then you should pay attention to ensuring that the edge of the bowl is in the correct position and that a protective rubber rim is put on it. Chickens can get damaged and scratched if they have sharp edges. After some time, because of this, pecking may begin.

• If you are making the most efficient nipple drinker with your own hands, then you need to know that when making it, you need to take care of additional automation if the nipple drinker pipe is flowing. The installation must include a pressure regulating element. Subject to this rule, the water in the drinkers will always be fresh, and not stagnant.

• Drinkers made from plastic bottles are recommended to be attached to various kinds of reliable supports. Then the rigidity of the structure increases along with stability. Of course, in this case we are not talking about options that need to be attached to the wall in the house.

• When making a drinker with your own hands, you need to make sure that the liquid does not flow out of it and does not fall on / under the litter. If you neglect this rule, the situation can end badly. Wet hens and chickens can become seriously ill and die.

• When it comes to a nipple drinker, then there may be a supply of water from the tank. There are also instances in which everything is equipped for a flow system. For the manufacture of automatic high-quality drinkers, it is desirable to have at least minimal knowledge in plumbing. Only if this condition is met, as a result, a design can be obtained that is in no way inferior to the factory options.

• A vacuum drinker can be made not only from plastic bottles. Glass jars of various sizes are also suitable.

• In a hurry, a drinking bowl can also be made from a pumpkin. This is a non-standard solution. It is done in just one step – the top is cut off and the entire inside of the pumpkin is cleaned. Everything seized must be immediately fed to the birds – it will be a good vitamin supplement, which will definitely not harm the chickens. The resulting natural container can be used immediately – install it in the most convenient place and fill it with clean water.

• Before you start making this or that model of a drinker, be sure to carefully understand the features of its design and mechanisms of action. Only then do you get to work. Otherwise, in the course of action, many problems and unnecessary questions may arise.

If you cannot boast of knowledge in plumbing or are simply afraid to make a mistake when making a bird drinker (especially if it is complex), then it is better not to waste time in vain, but to buy a ready-made version. In stores you can find inexpensive drinkers.

The process of making an autonomous drinker for chickens, see below.