Watering System
I’ve tried a few different chicken waterers. The first was a gravity feed with chicken nipples. I used a 5 gallon bucket with garden hose and pvc pipe. to keep the bucket filled, I used a toilet valve. It worked well but I would drain it for the winter and use a bucket with nipples on the bottom and a heater plugged into a Thermo Cube. After I built the main coop, I made a waterer that sat on the shelf in the picture. I ran hoses down to the chicken nipples. It had a 12 volt submersible pump to recirculate the water back to the tank. I used the heater plugged to the Thermo Cube in the tank. The tank wasn’t sealed and the hoses were clear. I had problems with the tank and hoses growing algae. So I started using store bought chicken waterers until I can find a better solution.
I bought a 14 gallon drum to make my waterer. I wanted something that I can seal to prevent dust and dirt from entering. I placed it where it would be mostly in the shade to reduce the growth of algae.
I installed a sprinkler valve to automatically supply the tank with water. I installed a separate valve to supply my garden hose. I did this so I won’t have any pressurized water lines exposed in the winter. To automatically drain water from the line going to the tank is an Underground Auto Drain Valve.
I use my Allen Bradley PLC along with a float switch to control the sprinkler valve. When the water level reaches the switch, it will turn off the sprinkler valve. I use the float valve at the water inlet only as a precaution in case the switch fails. Since the switch is lower than the float valve, the water line won’t hold pressure which will allow the auto drain to function properly. At the bottom of the tank is the heater which is plugged into the Thermo Cube. On the lid I used a pneumatic muffler to keep the air pressure equalized.
I chose to recirculate the water because running water doesn’t freeze and I didn’t want the water to be stagnant. I used a 12 volt water pump and rubber hose. Unlike the clear hose I used in the prior system, the rubber hose will prevent sunlight from allowing algae growth.
The water flows from left to right. I have a valve to allow drainage of the system. I used PVC Tee fittings for the nipples rather than drilling into PVC pipe. It’s much easier and doesn’t leak.
