It is very important to provide chickens with sufficient clean and fresh water in a timely manner. Proper watering of chickens contributes to better processing of food and, consequently, increased egg production in laying hens and increased weight in meat breeds of chickens.
To ensure that your birds always have clean and fresh water, it is necessary to provide the house with a good drinking bowl. The stores offer a large number of options, both for large farms and for private farmsteads.
It’s clear with stores - I came, bought, installed. But what if there are not enough funds or it is simply impractical to install purchased watering systems due to the small number of livestock? In this article we will look at several options for making drinking bowls for chickens with our own hands. First of all, it’s worth finding out what types of drinkers exist.
The main reasons for the need for drinking water
The first reason is the need to control the volume of incoming water. On average, one adult chicken consumes about half a liter of water per day.
If the amount of fluid is less, dehydration will begin. If water is given in ordinary containers, without protection against penetration, then most of the liquid will splash.
This is precisely the reason for creating original drinking bowls for chickens with your own hands.
The second reason follows from the first. It includes two points:
- Water in a drinking bowl without special protective structures quickly becomes contaminated. Microbes begin to actively multiply in it. Drinking such water can result in the death of the bird. Chickens especially suffer from this.
- Another problem with conventional open feeders is wet feet. During the cold season, this can lead to a cold.
Vacuum system
The principle of operation is that pressure in the pipes is used to supply water; in order to improve the area where the chickens live, it can be used from any container.
A liter plastic bottle will make an interesting and practical item. To do this, make a hole in it with a diameter of 8 cm using a heated knife or drill.
In order for the structure to gain stability, it should be secured with a clamp or electrical tape to the nearest support. Before introducing each copy made into everyday use, it must first be checked and any shortcomings that may appear should be removed.
Main types of drinkers
Once the understanding comes that the drinking bowl will have to be made in any case, a small difficulty arises.
There are hundreds of different drinkers, but you only need to choose one. A little classification will help solve this problem.Read here - How to make a cage for a parrot: basic requirements, tools and materials, step-by-step photo instructions. Tips from experts on arranging a cage
According to the characteristics, drinkers can be divided into the following:
- Drip.
- Vacuum.
- Siphon.
- Ordinary, open type.
The points mentioned above characterize the principle of operation of the drinking bowl. They are important, but division according to another criterion is more important.
In accordance with them, they distinguish:
- Regular.
- Automatic.
Specific criteria
Before you start constructing the first samples, it is worth remembering that do-it-yourself drinking bowls for rabbits or for chickens must meet certain requirements. Most experts highlight the following features:
- Immediate safety.
- Use clean water.
- Convenience.
- Reliability and stability.
For the winter period, it would be prudent to add another requirement if the farm will be indoors all year round. This is the freezing of special dishes to the soil or floor; in order to avoid awkward situations during feeding, it is worth paying attention to this nuance.
There are several ways to solve the problem, using heating wires or using an aquarium heater.
Automatic chicken drinker
There is no point in describing ordinary drinking bowls. These are special containers into which you need to periodically add water, which is not very convenient. A do-it-yourself automatic waterer for chickens is a completely different matter.
Check it out here too!
Do-it-yourself barbecue from a gas cylinder: step-by-step instructions, choosing the optimal sizes and tips for choosing projects (110 photos)- Do-it-yourself winter chicken coop: design, layout, insulation, heating. 80 photos of warm chicken coops
How to make a snow blower with your own hands: manufacturing methods, diagrams, drawings, construction options and application nuances (100 photos + video)
Of course, such products have a disadvantage. Collecting them is more difficult than regular ones, but the return will be greater. Moreover, a photo of do-it-yourself drinking bowls for chickens will help with assembly.
What types of drinkers are there?
Small and large farms use drinking bowls for animals that are kept off-leash. The following types are distinguished:
- Portable.
- Stationary.
Portable ones are used for grazing, and stationary ones are installed indoors. They are equipped for all animals kept on the farm:
- rabbits;
- geese, chickens and other birds;
- for cattle.
Moreover, in large farms there may be several heated drinkers, for example, one for each row. They also equip level-type drinking bowls for tethered cattle - they are located at different levels and are fed in portions due to pressure. Group and level drinking bowls facilitate the process of caring for animals, since water is supplied to several individuals at once, although it must be taken into account that this also increases the risk of contracting infectious diseases of the entire livestock.
In production they use:
- tree;
- plastic;
- cast iron or any other metal.
Plastic drinkers can withstand a wide range of temperatures, are durable and quite easy to maintain.
DIY bottle waterer for chickens
Plastic drinking bowls are the most common option. There are several reasons for this, the main ones being the simplicity of the product, its durability and efficiency.
In order to make this device you will need the following kit:
- Bottle. It can be any size depending on how many chickens it is designed for.
- The bowl is about five centimeters deep. An important condition is that it must be at least a couple of centimeters wider than the bottle in radius.
- A set of tools including fasteners, a knife, an awl and a rope.
Check it out here too!
How to make a pump with your own hands - step-by-step manufacturing of a pump and options for making simple and effective pumps (95 photos + video)Do-it-yourself hot smoked smokehouse: 100 photos, review of the best drawings, project selection and construction options
- How to make a cage for a parrot: basic requirements, tools and materials, step-by-step photo instructions. Tips from experts on arranging a cage
Next you should stick to this plan:
- Cut off the neck of the bottle.
- Make several holes three centimeters from the cut with an awl.
- Attach the bottle with the cut end to the bowl. It is necessary to create a tight contact so that the water can only pour out through the holes made with an awl.
- Cut off the bottom of the bottle. Water will be poured into the formed crater.
- Make two holes along the edges of the top of the bottle with an awl. In which, in the manner of a bucket handle, secure a wire or rope.
The drinking bowl is ready. All that remains is to hang it in the right place. Hanging should be based on the age of the chickens. For adults at a height of 10 cm from the ground, for chickens - lower.
Nipple drinker
This is one of the simple and at the same time effective drinkers. To make it you will need a container with a large volume and nipples. The process itself includes the following stages:
- Drill several holes in the bottom of the container.
- Attach the nipples to them.
Water from such a drinking bowl begins to flow after the chickens begin to drink.
The main advantages are as follows:
- Hygiene.
- Avoid wasting water.
Compliance with the rules for the drinker
For the most ordinary open drinking bowl, it is possible to use various containers; even a bucket and a kitchen bowl will do. But owners with experience already know that this option is not effective due to the fact that hens and chicks are not particularly careful and often put their paws into a container of water. They pollute it, turn it over, therefore, this is unacceptable for reasons of hygiene and economy.
Before making an automatic drinker, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with a number of important rules:
- the device must be sufficiently stable, for this it must be secured to the wall;
- the automatic drinking bowl must be designed as a closed type so that birds do not have the opportunity to put their paws in there;
- The water is replaced after about 3 days;
- in winter, due to artificial heating, the water in the drinking bowl does not freeze;
- the water in such a container is always clean, no microbes appear;
- birds do not destroy the container and can safely use it.
This is one of the ideal conditions for keeping chickens, which will greatly facilitate the task and reduce the waste of valuable time. For example, poultry farms have long been equipped with nipple automatic drinkers.
Need to know! The sippy cup must be made of food-grade plastic and must not contain paint or fuel residue inside.
Briefly about the main thing
A do-it-yourself drinking bowl is a device that will bring a lot of benefits. It's not difficult to make and the payoff is extremely high.
Check it out here too!
- Do-it-yourself trolley - how and from what to build a decorative and tool trolley (135 photos and videos)
DIY nests for laying hens: drawings, tricks, best solutions and tips on how to make nests correctly (115 photos and videos)
How to hem felt boots with your own hands: materials, tools, useful tips for hemming. Step-by-step instructions with photos + master class with video!
conclusions
To raise chickens, it is necessary to create comfortable living conditions for them, provide them with high-quality feed, as well as clean water. Proper watering of chickens of any breed, such as Ayam Tsemani, Legbar and others, promotes good digestion of food, and therefore has a positive effect on egg production and weight gain. There are several types of drinking bowls that you can make with your own hands, without the help of any experienced professionals:
- Vacuum drinking systems.
- Siphon drinkers.
- Nipple.
- Drinkers made of PVC pipes.
These types of drinkers have their advantages and disadvantages, but they are still much better, more economical and more hygienic than the usual bowls, pots, and plastic containers with water near poultry houses. Conventional drinking containers are easy to use, but have many disadvantages: frequent contamination, water must be brought several times a day. And especially in the warm season, the risk of pathogenic bacteria appearing in dirty, stagnant water increases.
