About the do-it-yourself drinker for chickens, broilers, chickens (automatic, nipple)

A drinking bowl for chickens should be practical and safe, easy to use, allowing the chicks to drink without polluting the water or knocking over the dishes. Having constant access to clean water is necessary for the rapid growth and full development of the bird from the moment of hatching. To avoid problems associated with a lack of liquid or excessive dampness in the brooder, you need to properly select and organize the watering system.

A chicken's body weight is approximately 70% water (up to 85% at the time of hatching from the egg); a decrease in fluid intake or an increase in moisture loss negatively affects the health of the flock

DIY chicken drinker

Many owners of private houses and private farms keep poultry: chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys. This is a profitable business; poultry farmers not only provide their families with organic meat and eggs, but also sell the surplus, thereby increasing their income. At the same time, some owners forget an important rule - in order for chickens to produce as many eggs as possible, it is extremely necessary to provide them with comfortable conditions. Otherwise, it will be difficult to get a good return from the bird, and even in poor conditions the living creatures risk dying. First of all, laying hens need clean water. Each hen usually requires half a liter per day.

The importance of drinking for chickens

Experienced poultry farmers say that this norm is only approximate and depends on a number of reasons (keeping conditions, age of individuals, location of chickens, amount of food eaten by the bird). Also, the amount of liquid varies depending on the time of year. In summer, of course, laying hens require more moisture, and in winter less.

Important! Due to the lack of water in the drinking bowls, the chickens will begin to get sick, and some may even die.

The chicken drinkers themselves must also meet the necessary requirements:

• Comfortable. The bird should have free access to the devices at any time of the day. Water should be poured there automatically or manually.
• Sustainable. This is necessary so that during a fight or any other activity the chickens cannot move or overturn the drinkers.
• The material for the drinking bowl must be durable. It is also necessary to make such devices from a safe material that will not break and harm the bird. Most often they are mounted from plastic, but it is recommended that all edges be processed so that the chickens do not receive any injuries.
• The water must be clean. For this it is better to use closed containers. Such structures will protect the liquid from dust, sand and poultry waste.
• During the cold season, drinking bowls must be protected from frost. You can heat the water using safe aquarium heaters. Some poultry farmers also use homemade ones.

DIY chicken drinker

Main requirements for the device

When choosing a drinker, poultry farmers take into account the number of planned livestock, bred or purchased at the same time, as well as technical characteristics:

• capacity - the average water requirement of chickens is twice that of feed. To prevent rapidly growing young animals from experiencing thirst, sufficiently capacious tanks are needed;
• shallow depth (for open-type structures) - active individuals with open access to water can choke or even drown. To avoid such situations, it is recommended to take shallow containers; the ideal option when raising young animals is to use closed-type devices;
• autonomy - since it is not possible to fully control watering, the device must provide automatic supply of drinking water so that the chicks can quench their thirst at any time;
• environmental safety - in the manufacture of the device, high-quality materials (plastic) that do not emit toxic substances should be used. If you purchase a factory-made drinker, you must make sure that the product has passed certification;
• simplicity and reliability of operation - it is important to ensure the convenience of the design for filling and cleaning, to provide protection for water from clogging with food and excrement;
• stability - to prevent overturning, the container must be well secured to the wall of the poultry house or to the floor.

Drinking water for poultry should be as clean and of high quality as for people

DIY chicken drinker

Water containers for the chicken coop can be purchased at the store (original drinkers) or made independently. Making a waterer for chickens with your own hands is quite simple. First you need to decide on the type. There are several of them - nipple, vacuum, cup, siphon, drip. They can be created from plastic bottles or PVC pipes. There are actually more ideas; many craftsmen make other types of drinking bowls for broilers with their own hands.

Nipple drinker

It is considered the most progressive way of watering animals. To do this, you will need a hole at the bottom of the bucket or in the cap of any plastic bottle. Then a nipple is screwed into the hole, the structure is installed in the desired location and filled with water.

Also, such a device can be made from PVC pipes. To do this you will need plastic pipes, pipe plugs, a clamp (polypropylene), nipples, a drill, waterproofing tape and a drill. You need to make marks on the surface of the plastic pipe and drill holes every 30 cm. Screw nipples into them, which must be wrapped with waterproofing tape. Then one end of the pipe is connected to the water supply, and a plug is inserted into the second and tightened with ties. Experts recommend installing trays or bowls under each nipple. This will avoid unnecessary spillage of water. In addition, the bird will have additional drinking containers.

Drinker for chickens from a plastic bottle

This simple container is well suited for those who have a very small number of chickens. Its main advantage is its efficiency, and its disadvantage is the lack of automatic water supply. A five-liter or 25-liter bottle (plastic) is suitable for its manufacture. Several holes are made in the container (holes are 3-4 cm long, 1.5 cm wide). The homemade structure is placed in another container - a cup or basin filled with water. As a result, when the liquid is drunk, the required amount of water will flow from the bottle through the holes into the container. In this case, the bottle cap must be tightly closed.

Important! It is advisable that the drinking bowl should be 20 cm above the floor level. This measure will save water from pollution.

Vacuum drinker

It looks like an inverted container of water, which is lowered into a special drinking vessel. As a result, water is kept in the container due to pressure and gradually flows into the bowl, replenishing it from time to time. To make it you will need a regular plastic bottle, the volume of which can be 5 or 10 liters.

Note! The plastic bottle should have a narrow neck.

Also, to make a manual vacuum drinker, you will need a water bowl or basin. The height of such a vessel should be no more than 10 cm for adult chickens and no more than 3 cm for young chickens. In addition, you will need a screwdriver, fasteners, and screws. You can use any plastic bottle directly as the tank itself. However, it is important to note that the diameter of the neck of such a container should be less than the diameter of the bowl. Using self-tapping screws, fasteners for the tank are screwed to the wall of the chicken coop, clean water is poured into the tank, and a bowl is placed at the opening of the tank.

Siphon

Siphon drinker. An excellent option for those who keep a small number of livestock. For example, 10-20 chickens. To make it you will need a five-liter flask, a bottle, a drill, screws, a knife and a bowl.

Cut a small hole in the bottom of the flask. We attach it with screws, neck down, to the wall where the birds are. We substitute the bowl. We close the hole in the flask with our hand and fill it with water through the hole. Let go and wait for water to fill the bowl.

Tips and tricks from experienced poultry farmers

During winter, chicken breeders face cold water. Such life-giving moisture is dangerous for birds: chickens can first catch a cold and then die. To avoid such troubles, experienced poultry farmers recommend heating the devices. You can make it yourself or buy special electric heating tanks in the store. Wooden boxes are installed manually under the tank, into which ordinary light bulbs are inserted. They are connected to electricity. These bulbs will heat the tank so that only warm water is supplied to the coop, which is what the chickens need.

There is another way to heat water. You can install an electric tank in the barn, which independently heats the water. This method is very effective, but expensive. It works automatically. This plus pleases poultry breeders, since as a result, much less time and effort is needed to care for laying hens.

But experienced poultry farmers advise paying special attention to the selection and assembly of an automatic manual drinker. After all, the productivity of poultry depends on the purity of life-giving moisture. All of the above devices, when used correctly, will protect water from contamination, and it will flow into the container gradually. Moreover, these elementary structures can easily be made with your own hands, thereby saving money.

Difference between manual and automatic devices

There are two types of drinking bowls for chickens and adults: manual and automatic. The first option is convenient. And suitable for farms with small livestock. The farmer needs to periodically inspect drinkers for damage. And pour water into a container for storing it.

Automatic devices include siphon and nipple. In the second case, you need to connect the drinker to the tank or directly to the water supply. Not easy to install.

Manual drinkers – vacuum and cup. But it is difficult to bring them to a water source. Therefore, the farmer has to monitor the liquid level himself.

Nipple drinker for chickens: device, principle, how to assemble it yourself

How nice it is to eat eggs and chicken meat obtained from your own backyard. Of course, you still need to try for this, because it will not be possible to achieve high egg production and weight gain in meat breed chickens without proper provision of feed and water.

In fact, caring for chickens on a private backyard does not require any extra costs or special knowledge. It is enough to create a diet, know when and in what quantities to feed and water, depending on what you are raising the bird for.

In this material we will talk about nipple drinkers for chickens - drinking systems that facilitate and automate the process. Let's consider the advantages and disadvantages of such drinkers, as well as several options for assembling and installing them yourself.

From a jar and saucer

Cup drinkers for chickens are the most common at the moment. To make one, you only need a glass jar and a saucer, slightly larger in circumference than the jar.

You need to pour fresh water into the jar, then cover it with a saucer, bottom up. After this, pressing the saucer tightly to the neck, turn the jar over. Thus, the structure is installed in a convenient place. The water will gradually seep onto the saucer, filling it. This is the easiest way to assemble an automatic drinker.

Pros and cons of nipple drinkers for chickens. What problems do such systems solve?

Advantages:

• Water does not stagnate;
• Automatic water distribution;
• Always clean water, unlike ordinary drinking bowls, which chickens constantly turn over and shovel garbage into;
• Bacteria and germs do not accumulate;
• An excellent option for watering automation for large livestock.

Flaws:

• Financial expenses;
• Chickens can jump onto the pipes of the system and break them;
• There may be problems with the birds getting used to such drinkers, although reviews from many poultry farmers say that it is not so difficult to get used to, and in most cases the chickens adapt on their own.

Mistakes you can make when making drinking bowls

Even experienced poultry farmers sometimes make some mistakes:

Making drinking bowls from wood material

It doesn't matter whether it's board or plywood. Plywood is worse because glue was used in its manufacture

Wood swells and rots from water. Rot will not add health to the birds. Swollen and delaminated plywood will begin to let water through.

A drinking bowl made from a drainpipe does not have a reliable attachment to the wall. Birds, trying to climb onto a pipe (chickens are in the habit of climbing onto a roost, and waterfowl in the hope of swimming), will overturn such a pipe. In the best case, only the water poured into the pipe will spill out. It’s worse if an automatic drinking bowl is made from a pipe. The flood is guaranteed.

Securing the drinker tightly. Drinkers must be washed periodically. It is impossible to clean a tightly fixed drinker properly.

What should a high-quality drinking bowl be like for laying hens and broilers?

Regardless of what kind of drinker is used in your chicken coop, it should be:

• Convenient. Not only for the bird, but also for you. Changing the water should be quick and hassle-free.
• Durable and stable. You don’t monitor birds 24 hours a day, so we don’t always know what they’re doing in poultry houses and cages. Sometimes chickens fight, frolic, and are trampled by a rooster. All this can lead to overturning or damage to the water container, which means excessive dampness and lack of drinking for the entire herd.
• Safe. The best option for a drinking bowl is high-quality plastic. Metal containers can release harmful substances, especially when interacting with medications. Also, the drinking bowl should have edges and corners rounded on all sides so that the bird does not get hurt.

Selection rules

The main property of a drinking bowl for chickens and grown-up chickens is complete safety. Choose designs made from proven materials that do not oxidize. For example, made of plastic.

It is necessary to exclude jags, sharp corners or chips. Otherwise, the chickens will get injured.

An uninterrupted supply of water is important. So that the birds can always quench their thirst. But at the same time it is necessary to prevent splashing. Otherwise the chickens will shit themselves. And the litter will always be wet.

A high-quality drinking bowl is always closed. Therefore, dirt and pathogenic microorganisms do not get into it.

An important requirement is sustainability. Chickens are active birds. And if there is a lot of crowds, they can overturn the unreliable structure. The result will be injury and severe stress.

Do-it-yourself nipple drinker for chickens: step-by-step instructions

Let's learn in detail how to make a nipple watering system for chickens. In fact, the process is not the easiest, but it can be easily done on your own. But the result will delight your birds with clean and fresh water. All parts for work can be bought at any store.

What you will need:

• Drill or screwdriver;
• Drill diameter 9 mm;
• Polypropylene (PVC) pipe with a square section of 22x22 mm or round;
• Nipple 1800 or 3600;
• One tee;
• Two plugs;
• Canister or other plastic container;

You can choose a plastic pipe of any length at your discretion. The only thing that needs to be taken into account is that the distance between the nipples should be 10-20 cm (depending on the bird density).

Nipple drinker assembly process

Cut a piece of pipe to the required length.

We mark the points on the pipe where the nipples will be mounted and drill holes.

We wrap the nipple thread with fum-leth to ensure sealing.

Screw in the nipple using a socket wrench or wrench

Now you need to connect two pieces of pipe with screwed-in nipples in the tee, and also install plugs along the edges. For the tee you will need a threaded adapter; it will screw into a container of water.

I managed to assemble this design. All connections can be made with a soldering iron or simply sealed with sealant. The pressure in the system is low, so there should be no leaks.

Now we attach the drinking bowl to the container. And as a result we get the following system:

An example of installing a nipple drinker in a poultry house

We use a plastic bucket

Let's look at how to make a drinking bowl for chickens from an ordinary bucket. This option will help out when there is no time to manufacture complex structures.

You need to take a whole clean bucket. And use a drill to make several holes in the bottom. The next step is to screw on a basin with a diameter wider than the bottom of the bucket.

The height and diameter of the drinking bowl for chickens depends on their age. The chickens are given a basin with low sides.

The volume of the bucket is influenced by the following factors: the number of chickens, climate indicators in the room. If the house is warm and the temperature is not lower than 20 degrees, a 300 ml bucket will do.

Another option for a nipple drinker

The following design is made according to the principle described above, only at one end there is a fitting in which you can connect a hose from a water supply or container.

A simple drinker made from a square PVC pipe and nipples with a drip eliminator

By the way, drip-catching cups come as additions to nipples and are also sold in stores. Installation of such a system is carried out using brackets or ordinary wire.

Drinker with central tank location

During the manufacture of structures in which the tank is located in the center, the following materials will be needed:

• plastic pipe;
• plugs;
• fastening clamps;
• nipples;
• pipe adapter.

Stages of creating a drinking structure:

1. Cut the pipe into three parts. The first two will be horizontal, and the third will be vertical. It is used as a tank.
2. Install the nipples into the first two pipes, then connect them using an adapter.
3. Install a drip tray and hang the sippy cup on the wall of the chicken coop.

Options for simple nipple drinkers from scrap items

You can make a nipple drinking system with your own hands from any preferably plastic container, as long as there are nipples. The photo below shows a drinking bowl made from plastic bottles and a plastic bucket.

Just drill holes and screw in the nipples.

Plastic bucket waterer for chickens

Installation height of nipple drinker for chickens

The installation height plays an important role. Using the diagram below, you can calculate the height at which the nipple should be located. That is, the pipe rises to such a level that the degree of the raised head of the bird corresponds to its age.

In specialized stores you can buy ready-made drinking bowls, for example, these:

All that remains is to connect it to the container.

Are nipple drinkers good for chickens? Of course, we wrote about the advantages above. You can leave your feedback on this topic.

Useful video on the topic:

We do it ourselves

Making an automatic waterer for chickens is not difficult and does not require any special skills.
For these purposes, you can use an ordinary unnecessary 5-liter bottle and bath. So, attach several clamps to the bath, which will later hold your bottle. Then fill the bottle with water, turn it upside down and insert it into the previously made clamps. That's all, your automatic drinker is ready. It works on exactly the same principle as a store-bought one: it fills the bath with water as it is emptied. At the moment, nipple drinkers are becoming increasingly popular. Making it is as simple as the previous version. So, for production you will need:

• nipple 180 and 360;
• screwdriver;
• drill;
• container for water;
• pipe adapter;
• water plug;
• adapter;
• flexible hose;
• drip eliminator.

Don’t be intimidated by the amount of required material: you will now see that everything is done simply and quickly.

So, having prepared all the tools, you can get to work. To begin, use a marker to mark where you plan to make the holes. The best option is to place them at a distance of 30 cm. If your pipe is about a meter long, then you can place about 3-5. There is no point in making more holes; it will be inconvenient primarily for the chickens. Then drill holes, it is best to do this on the side that has internal grooves, this will prevent water leakage in the future. The holes should be drilled with a diameter of 9mm, and then we insert the nipples, having previously wrapped them with Teflon tape so that water does not leak in the future. You can purchase nipples at any specialized store or order them online. Then place a plug on one side of the pipe and connect the other end to the hose that leads to the water. For greater comfort for chickens, a drip eliminator can be attached.

But there are also several disadvantages: firstly, this is a rather financially expensive type of drinking bowl; secondly, an adult chicken can climb onto the pipe and thereby break it. To avoid this problem, it is recommended to build a small fence.

If this method seems too complicated to you, then there is a more simplified option. To do this you will need any vessel or a simple bucket, nipples and a 9mm drill. Drill one hole in the bottom of the bucket and simply insert the nipple there. Then fill the vessel of your choice with water and simply hang it in a convenient place so that the birds can reach it without any problems. And that’s it, the drinking bowl is ready.

You can also make a vacuum drinker. This is the most economical and simple option. The principle of its operation is very simple: pressure prevents water from spilling out. But it has several disadvantages: it is easy to turn over and chickens can climb on it, thereby dirtying the water. To make a vacuum drinker, you will need a three-liter bottle and a special stand. Just combine them and you're ready to use.

It is worth noting that all types of drinking bowls presented above can be used both in cages and in free housing. After learning how to make each waterer, it is up to you to decide which is the most comfortable and best suited for your pet birds.

Video “DIY nipple drinker for birds”

The video shows how to easily and inexpensively make an automatic nipple drinker for poultry (chickens, quails, etc.)

Eating fresh eggs every day and chicken raised in their own backyard - more and more people are thinking about raising chickens to provide their family with similar nutritional conditions. It is impossible to achieve high poultry productivity without complying with the requirements for watering and feeding chickens. There should always be clean water for drinking in the cage or house. The most convenient to use are homemade or store-bought automatic drinkers for chickens.

The amount of water a chicken should consume depends on many factors: ambient temperature, age of the bird, and feed consumed. On average, each individual should drink at least half a liter of water to eliminate the possibility of dehydration.

How to make a drinking bowl for broilers yourself

To provide themselves with fresh chicken and eggs, people are ready to maintain their own poultry farm. To improve the quality and productivity of your chickens, you need to provide them not only with excellent nutrition, but also with clean drinking water.

Broilers are a special breed of chicken that is characterized by a special size and needs plenty of feeding and drinking. To simplify and automate this process, special drinkers for broilers are created, which help owners quickly water adult chickens and small chickens, which are especially in need of proper care.

What is the difference between a broiler drinker?

To increase the productivity of any business enterprise, automated work systems are used to help reduce financial costs and personal time for the efficient operation of the business. This is how special drinking devices appeared, with which you don’t have to worry about manually supplying poultry farms with nutritious water. Such innovations are directly responsible for maintaining the health of poultry, and therefore high-quality meat and eggs.

Requirements for a good drinker

In order to ensure the functionality of any drinkers, you must carefully comply with all the following requirements:

1. Simplicity of design - the mechanism of operation of the device must be extremely simple and understandable so that there are no problems with filling the water container and replacing the water inside it.
2. Safety of materials - it is necessary to make the structure from high-quality parts, usually from good quality plastic. Metal parts may react with some medications, forming harmful chemicals that contaminate drinking water. You will also have to take care of the dull edges so that the broilers do not get hurt.
3. Durability and immobility - individual chickens may attack the container or simply handle it clumsily. Therefore, it must be made strong and resistant to external influences. Otherwise, the product may tip over and water will spill onto the floor, creating excess moisture in the cage.
4. Fluid cleanliness—open drinking bowls may contain flying debris or deft birds may defecate there. To prevent such embarrassment, the tank must be closed with a tightly fitting lid. You should also take care to protect the liquid from pathogenic bacteria, sometimes cleaning it with special medications.
5. Protection from cold - in the winter season, severe frosts are possible, leading to the rapid freezing of any liquid. To protect the water from this, you can install heating elements, such as aquarium heaters, above the water tank. Or simply buy a ready-made version of the device in a special store.

Feeders for different feeds

A do-it-yourself geese feeder is as easy to make as a waterer.

The strength and harmlessness of the feeder are important factors for the life of the flock. Feeding devices are used for wet and dry goose food.

Simple feeder

The type of food determines the material for the feeder. Metal or plastic products are used for wet food. The best material for a dry food feeding device is wood. From it you can make structures of various shapes and volumes. The raw materials themselves are harmless to the health of birds.

Hopper feeder

Feeders consisting of a compartment for containing grain and an outlet for dosed delivery of food are called bunker feeders. They are very easy to use and make it possible to pour a lot of grain feed.

Feeder from a barrel

To build such a feeder you will need the following materials:

• barrel made of plastic or metal;
• hacksaw for metal;
• plastic pipe scraps having an angle of 90°;
• hot melt adhesive.

Procedure:

1. First you need to mark the location of the pipe on the barrel. The markings are made at a height of 30-40 cm from the bottom of the barrel, for the convenience of the goose when getting food.
2. Then pieces of plastic pipe are taken and cut according to the angle of rotation.
3. Holes in the barrel are cut according to the markings, and pieces of pipe are inserted into them.
4. The edges of the structure must be insulated with hot glue. This will fix the pipe and it will not rotate while eating.

On a note! Grain is poured into the barrel and covered with a lid.

Grass feeder for geese

The wood feeder is suitable for grass and hay. Its use allows you to save space, as it is easily attached to the wall of the barn.

Materials:

• slats: 2 wide and 2 narrow;
• wood plugs on the sides of the product;
• a wooden block equal to the length of the slats.

The length of the slats should be calculated according to the number of individuals - 20 cm for each head.

Procedure

The box is knocked down from the slats. The bottom of the box is placed edgewise at an angle of 90° for convenience when loading grass or hay. Plugs are nailed to the sides. The product resembles a trough. A rail is attached to the top of the plugs, which is necessary for easy movement of the device. Suspensions are attached to the back wall to fix the structure on the wall.

Metal feeder

For floor use of such a feeder, two parallel boards can be placed on the bottom.

Grass feeders can be made using materials such as mesh and metal.

DIY making

Creating drinking bowls for broilers with your own hands will not pose any particular problems, due to the very simple mechanism of action and the availability of construction materials. In fact, some types can be collected even from improvised means that every person probably has in their home. Whether it's a bucket, a hose or a regular plastic bottle, it can serve as an excellent reservoir for easily replenished water supplies.

To create such a simple device, you only need the ability to work accurately and concentratedly, and also enough patience in case of failures. But before proceeding to a direct description of the process of manufacturing lightweight structures for watering, you should talk about their varieties, giving a person the opportunity to independently choose which version of the product he prefers for his yard.

Types of drinking bowls

There are several main types of designs, which will be discussed below to make the choice easier for future owners. Basically, they differ in the principle of operation and ease of creation.

Types of drinking bowls

Geese, as waterfowl, can easily tolerate hunger, while lack of water and heat, especially in summer, lead to various diseases, including epizootics.

That is why it is so important to choose a design that provides unlimited access to water. All of them are divided into two categories: connected to the central water supply and autonomous, that is, not dependent on the water supply

Both of them are divided into several types. Let's take a closer look at their features.

Drinkers that provide a constant supply of water include float, nipple, cup and bell-shaped drinkers. The table below shows their advantages and disadvantages.

Experienced poultry farmers advise having several drinkers on one farm, suitable for individuals of different ages.

Moreover, a do-it-yourself drinking bowl for goslings can be made from the simplest device. It is enough to find a cylindrical container (a liter glass jar is fine) about 20 cm high and an old frying pan or iron bowl. Fill the jar with water and cover with another container, such as a frying pan. The structure is turned over 180 degrees and placed in the poultry house. Liquid flows out of the can as it is consumed. Similarly, you can make drinking bowls for adults.

Important Details

It should be borne in mind that an adult chicken drinks on average about 1.5 liters of water daily. It is necessary to provide birds with sufficient water depending on their numbers and the number of individuals in each room.

By installing drip eliminators, you can save water and significantly reduce financial costs.

Hygiene and maintenance

Maintaining structures is easy and simple, and automated systems do not require constant monitoring at all. In the event of a breakdown, you need to repair the product or make a new one to replace the broken model.

In order to raise broilers without any problems, you need to take care of their comfortable housing. Drinking devices are an integral part of the chicken coop. It is especially worth paying attention to ensuring that there is always fresh and clean drink in the container, then broiler chickens will grow healthy and produce high-quality products.

Sources:

https://7ogorod.ru/domashnyaya-ptica/poilka-dla-kur-svoimi-rukami.html https://pticevodu.ru/nippelnaya-poilka-dlya-kur.html https://4ptic.com/kuryatniki/ poilka-dla-brojlerov/