Update 2: Also look into “ chicken nipples” for a waterer that you only need to drill a few holes for. 1 1/4″ ended up being the right size for my lid, although 1/16″ bigger would have been better, but doesn’t exist. I tried a few different things to repair it and ended up with the simplest solution imaginable, a sink drain plug ( like this one). I think the plastic screw threads started bending and eroding so the unit would not stay sealed any more. Update: The seal ended up gradually getting worse and worse on this unit, even when I tried doubling up. Notice that you can see the level of the water inside right through the bucket wall. Here is the finished product, hanging in the coop. Although the chickens seem to be ignoring it right now, it definitely works!Īnd here is the waterer outside on a cinder block., still being ignored by the flock. I will probably buy another seal for the cap so I can get a double seal as extra insurance. Even with the seal, the spout must be screwed very tightly to keep the orifice sealed. The outer seal of my lid worked well in maintaining the vacuum, but the spout did not have a seal on it, so I put one in to keep air from leaking through the spout. On the bottom, I just used ordinary metal washers. Between the saucer and the bucket I used flat rubber washers with about a 3/16″ center hole (I tested the fit before I bought the hardware.) For extra insurance, I used tiny gasket seals as washers on the top. I used 3/4″ long 3/16″ wide stove bolts to secure the saucer to the bucket. It’s Better to err on the low side initially, and make the hole taller if you need to later. If you drill too high, water will spill over the edges, and if you drill too low the chickens will not be able to drink. Take care in where you locate this hole, as the top of the opening will be the water level of the final product. Originally I made the hole 1/8″, which is far too small for the water vacuum pressure magic to work. Next drill a 1/2″ hole at the very bottom of the bucket’s side. You can mark where to drill with a long, skinny pen or just drill right through, which is what I ended up doing. Flip the bucket upside down and rest the saucer on its bottom, now facing up. These holes need to line up perfectly with 3 more holes on the bottom of the bucket. First drill three holes in the bottom of the saucer unit. Holes need to be drilled all over the place. The rubber washers are necessary to prevent water leaking out the holes. To thread the bolts through, holes must be drilled in both the bucket and the saucer. Tip: Click any of these pictures for an extreme close-up!īasically, the trick here is to attach the saucer to the bottom of the bucket using bolts. Nuts and bolts (I use these stove bolts).Lid with a spigot (or standard lid with a rubber seal will work too) – I found this lid for sale online which is similar to the one I use.My design hangs from its handle, and fills via a spigot on the top, which is a feature I haven’t seen in any other chicken waterer. The simple waterers work fine, but the design needs to be modified if you want them to hang from above ground on a hook, which is more appropriate for inside a chicken coop. Here’s a waterer I made for our new flock of chickens. I made a few modifications to a simple design I’ve found elsewhere online.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |