I have a 5 gallon gravity water system and I had the same issue with the cups. I was refilling the bucket every 2 days with only 6 chickens at the time. Drove me crazy. I switched to nipples.
We've got a rain barrel system and something we had to add that you should consider is adding a standard clear housed particulate filter in your line after it leaves the rain barrel as gutters tend to collect all sorts of dirt/dust. Other thing is to add a larger screen / particulate screen where the gutter tube goes into the barrel so you can catch any leaves or other debris than could collect in the barrel and taint the water. Fall-winter is not to far off so we're about to add a ricurc pump, but also plan to insulate all our lines.... Why.... because I'm anal like that and LOVE redundancy.... LOL!!! PS... Add some food grade silicone well as plumbers tape to the watering cups with straight threads when screwing them in and you will resolve that leaking issue. Or you can put a plastic nut with a small rubber washer on INSIDE edge of PVC for a seal on inside well as outside, as our birds were not big fans of the metal nipples.
Been dealing with this for years and tried multiple types of solutions. This one looks like it will solve several issues that the others could not solve - that cycling the heated water. Great idea. I'm going to tell my wife I'm running the heated water under the chicken coop floor so that they have a heated floor - lol. Thanks! - and yes - those cups with the little prod that opens the water valve are crap. I'm down south - so water and heat. I'm working on a solar fan solution (for bugs/flies and heat) now.
@@TheKunkelHomestead we have lots of shade also. Have to run a long wire to panel which will be attached to post in sunny spot. Fan and panel are waterproof so it's a set up and forget it project. So we will see. Lol.
Don't be afraid to wrap/insulate your lines also as it will help keep the water warmer on long runs. We added a particulate filter between barrel and main line and that really helped with dirt/dust polluting the water.
This is pretty much exactly what I'm going to do. Not only is the cup bad due to freezing in the winter, I would also imagine it's just another area for dirt and poop to get in. Nipples are about as clean as you're going to get. The only bad thing I've seen with nipples is that sometimes, if dirt gets in the valve, it can be stuck in the open position. But if you put a strainer on the barrel as the water comes into it from the gutter, that should probably filter out most dirt and if you put the valve at least 1" (probably 2" is better) from the bottom of the barrel, I'd imagine any remaining sediment will stay at the bottom. You could get fancy and install an actual filter, but I think that's overkill.
The paint will keep the white plastic from cracking in the sun. You may want to shade the unpainted strip. Otherwise the ones i used lasted 2 years in Texas sun.
I was just imagining a self watering chicken motel. What you did is much fancier than my blueprint. I don't have barrel ... I use heavy duty trashcans for my rain barrel.
This is really helpful video. Thank you so much for sharing. I have been using the nipple that you also use but i have a hard time screwing it into the pipe and then leak the whole summer. Then I replaced the whole thing and still leaking. Now I am about to replace for the third time before winter and was thinking to get the cup. But as you said the water in the cup will be freeze. So I agree to use the nipple. Do you have any tip to make it not leak or how to screw it in? I am about to add the pvc tee fitting. Im kind of bummed it will be the third time. Also i have question for the aquarium rod. Is it necessary? I have the circulation pump waiting for winter now but not for the aquarium rod yet.
Some plumbers tape on the threads may help. We've also found that overtightening can cause leaks as it pinches the rubber washer too hard. Has to be just right! We've not tried without the heater but use it based on recommendations in our own research. It will likely depend on your environment as well, the colder it gets, the more it would be needed! A larger pump system may lower the need for heat as well.
@@TheKunkelHomestead I used 5/16 drill and it won’t get in all the way and the nipple falls off the pipe and i used bigger drill and it was a mess :( I have the same circulation pump like you and we are from western PA it gets pretty cold here so i maybe will do the aquarium heat like yours. I saw some people use metal rod but i dont fee safe about it. The rod that’s like to boil water. Idk 🤣 Anyway thank you so much again. Your video is really helpful and have good explaining. Easy to understand. 😊
While an unpainted stripe on your barrel allows for an easy way to check water level, it also allows for ultraviolet light to degrade the plastic, making a very brittle stripe eventually. I can think of 2 other ways to keep track of the level. 1 is a sight glass style from 2 elbow pipe fittings and some clear hose. The hose will also get u.v. damaged, but it's cheaper and easier tobreplace than the barrel. The other method would be to cut another hole in the top and use a float guage with a dial like what is found on some fuel oil tanks. Obviously, use a new one, not a second hand, just to be safe. Do yo insulate your distribution tubing and barrel in the winter? It would lower your heating costs.
Insulating the barrel and the water lines would save a lot of money. Aquarium heaters don't go much below 70 degrees. You don't need the water warmer than 40. Not a bad system, but inefficient.
On i have my 55 gallon tank. I actually already had two in my attic as preparation for shtf situations as emergency water supplies but might as well use one now. Your description on how to get spigot in was good enough for me to figure it out. I will order that thing today. I think I'll pour a small slab and build a 4x4 stand for the tank. I've got a lot of 4 ft long 4x4 s from another project. Lol. Waste not want not right? Btw I have two nephew's without beards. You would fit right in.one lives North of me in the Ozark mountains on a farm in a very small town.So do you not need to filter debris from your rainwater collection? I will need to as my cool is under multiple trees. The worst are the line tree needles. I will post my final project soon because i need to get it done before we go out of town. Retired guys like me need deadlines for projects.
We only use the pumps during the winter, and we've not had one break from just being running. We have lost a couple due to freezing solid when the first electrostatic power outlet we were using didn't work ☹☹
@Josh Foster we circulate it in winter to prevent freezing, during the summer we don't actively circulate it. We will treat it with a few drops of bleach as needed, and if we know it's going to rain we'll drain some out to let it refill with fresh
I haven’t found a cup, or nipple that doesn’t leak. The cups with the trigger are absolutely junk, cylindrical nipples leak, cross nipples leak but are so far the least leaky.
I have a 5 gallon gravity water system and I had the same issue with the cups. I was refilling the bucket every 2 days with only 6 chickens at the time. Drove me crazy. I switched to nipples.
We've got a rain barrel system and something we had to add that you should consider is adding a standard clear housed particulate filter in your line after it leaves the rain barrel as gutters tend to collect all sorts of dirt/dust. Other thing is to add a larger screen / particulate screen where the gutter tube goes into the barrel so you can catch any leaves or other debris than could collect in the barrel and taint the water. Fall-winter is not to far off so we're about to add a ricurc pump, but also plan to insulate all our lines.... Why.... because I'm anal like that and LOVE redundancy.... LOL!!! PS... Add some food grade silicone well as plumbers tape to the watering cups with straight threads when screwing them in and you will resolve that leaking issue. Or you can put a plastic nut with a small rubber washer on INSIDE edge of PVC for a seal on inside well as outside, as our birds were not big fans of the metal nipples.
Great job
Been dealing with this for years and tried multiple types of solutions. This one looks like it will solve several issues that the others could not solve - that cycling the heated water. Great idea. I'm going to tell my wife I'm running the heated water under the chicken coop floor so that they have a heated floor - lol. Thanks! - and yes - those cups with the little prod that opens the water valve are crap. I'm down south - so water and heat. I'm working on a solar fan solution (for bugs/flies and heat) now.
Solar fan is a great idea! Our coop is under a shade tree so not sure where we could put the panel though :(
@@TheKunkelHomestead we have lots of shade also. Have to run a long wire to panel which will be attached to post in sunny spot. Fan and panel are waterproof so it's a set up and forget it project. So we will see. Lol.
Don't be afraid to wrap/insulate your lines also as it will help keep the water warmer on long runs. We added a particulate filter between barrel and main line and that really helped with dirt/dust polluting the water.
Great set up. One thing I would add to your system would be where the over flow I would add a French drain system so you don't have wash out
This is pretty much exactly what I'm going to do. Not only is the cup bad due to freezing in the winter, I would also imagine it's just another area for dirt and poop to get in. Nipples are about as clean as you're going to get. The only bad thing I've seen with nipples is that sometimes, if dirt gets in the valve, it can be stuck in the open position. But if you put a strainer on the barrel as the water comes into it from the gutter, that should probably filter out most dirt and if you put the valve at least 1" (probably 2" is better) from the bottom of the barrel, I'd imagine any remaining sediment will stay at the bottom. You could get fancy and install an actual filter, but I think that's overkill.
Nice ! I didn't realize paint would work on white barrels.
I put a bunch of rain barrel videos on RUclips. I'm up to 4000 gallons!
My barrels freeze every year. They don't burst.
The paint will keep the white plastic from cracking in the sun. You may want to shade the unpainted strip. Otherwise the ones i used lasted 2 years in Texas sun.
Great video great shirt!
Thank you!
I was just imagining a self watering chicken motel. What you did is much fancier than my blueprint. I don't have barrel ... I use heavy duty trashcans for my rain barrel.
This is really helpful video. Thank you so much for sharing. I have been using the nipple that you also use but i have a hard time screwing it into the pipe and then leak the whole summer. Then I replaced the whole thing and still leaking. Now I am about to replace for the third time before winter and was thinking to get the cup. But as you said the water in the cup will be freeze. So I agree to use the nipple. Do you have any tip to make it not leak or how to screw it in? I am about to add the pvc tee fitting. Im kind of bummed it will be the third time.
Also i have question for the aquarium rod. Is it necessary? I have the circulation pump waiting for winter now but not for the aquarium rod yet.
Some plumbers tape on the threads may help. We've also found that overtightening can cause leaks as it pinches the rubber washer too hard. Has to be just right!
We've not tried without the heater but use it based on recommendations in our own research. It will likely depend on your environment as well, the colder it gets, the more it would be needed! A larger pump system may lower the need for heat as well.
@@TheKunkelHomestead I used 5/16 drill and it won’t get in all the way and the nipple falls off the pipe and i used bigger drill and it was a mess :(
I have the same circulation pump like you and we are from western PA it gets pretty cold here so i maybe will do the aquarium heat like yours. I saw some people use metal rod but i dont fee safe about it. The rod that’s like to boil water. Idk 🤣
Anyway thank you so much again. Your video is really helpful and have good explaining. Easy to understand. 😊
While an unpainted stripe on your barrel allows for an easy way to check water level, it also allows for ultraviolet light to degrade the plastic, making a very brittle stripe eventually. I can think of 2 other ways to keep track of the level. 1 is a sight glass style from 2 elbow pipe fittings and some clear hose. The hose will also get u.v. damaged, but it's cheaper and easier tobreplace than the barrel. The other method would be to cut another hole in the top and use a float guage with a dial like what is found on some fuel oil tanks. Obviously, use a new one, not a second hand, just to be safe.
Do yo insulate your distribution tubing and barrel in the winter? It would lower your heating costs.
Excellent ideas! Thanks for sharing!
Nice system. Exterior electrical conduit with a GFI and weather plate ..shouldn't leak ..but nothing wrong with a little added security 👍
Insulating the barrel and the water lines would save a lot of money.
Aquarium heaters don't go much below 70 degrees. You don't need the water warmer than 40.
Not a bad system, but inefficient.
Thanks for the great video. I appreciate the detailed information about the waterer.
On i have my 55 gallon tank. I actually already had two in my attic as preparation for shtf situations as emergency water supplies but might as well use one now. Your description on how to get spigot in was good enough for me to figure it out. I will order that thing today. I think I'll pour a small slab and build a 4x4 stand for the tank. I've got a lot of 4 ft long 4x4 s from another project. Lol. Waste not want not right? Btw I have two nephew's without beards. You would fit right in.one lives North of me in the Ozark mountains on a farm in a very small town.So do you not need to filter debris from your rainwater collection? I will need to as my cool is under multiple trees. The worst are the line tree needles. I will post my final project soon because i need to get it done before we go out of town. Retired guys like me need deadlines for projects.
Do you have any trouble with the pump breaking from continuous use because I have had two now and both have broke and idk why
We only use the pumps during the winter, and we've not had one break from just being running. We have lost a couple due to freezing solid when the first electrostatic power outlet we were using didn't work ☹☹
So maybe me using it during the summer is making it to hot? So how do you circulate the water during the summer months?
@Josh Foster we circulate it in winter to prevent freezing, during the summer we don't actively circulate it. We will treat it with a few drops of bleach as needed, and if we know it's going to rain we'll drain some out to let it refill with fresh
So you just take the pump off and connect the hose to the rain barrel?
@@bobbyjoe739 Yes exactly, gravity does the work from there!
Do you provide water inside the coop too?
We do not, they only go in there to lay and to sleep
Do you put the pump right at the spigot to push the water?
We have the pump a couple of feet from the spigot
If a wild bird poops on roof and you know they will it could infect your flock with bird flu
I haven’t found a cup, or nipple that doesn’t leak. The cups with the trigger are absolutely junk, cylindrical nipples leak, cross nipples leak but are so far the least leaky.
I used the cups, until a chicken broke the stem in the cup and 300 gallons of water ran out on the ground.
Holy cow, 300 gallons! 😮 Glad we avoided the cups!
I can see the water just sitting in the pipe….raise that part up…
The cups are useless