Chickens, like any other animals, require careful and competent care, because they give their owners and meat and eggs. Breeding of these birds is not complete without properly selected feed and, of course, water. Drinkers for chickens can avoid moisture in the hen house, which can lead to rotting litter and disease of birds. Knowing how to make a drinking bowl for chickens with your own hands, you can save a lot.
Primary requirements
Regardless of the type of hens, made or bought drinkers must meet several conditions. Experts identify the following requirements:
- Security. With self-creation you need to select only high-quality and environmentally friendly materials. In that case, if the design includes parts made of metal, then when interacting with some drugs, substances may be formed that adversely affect the health of birds. You should also handle all pointed corners, otherwise the animal may get hurt.
- The use of pure water. Unprotected drinking bowl creates excellent conditions for the reproduction of harmful bacteria that can lead to infection. In addition, chickens themselves can pollute drinking water, putting their stool there. To prevent this, it is necessary to protect the drinking bowl reservoir from external factors.
- Convenience and simplicity. With the filling of the device should not appear any problems. If possible, the drinker can be connected to the water supply. This will make the filling process fully automatic.
- Durability and reliability. Bird drinkers, standing right in the cages, can be damaged from time to time by the chickens themselves, so they must have a solid body. In addition, the drinker should not break when turning, otherwise the birds will be left without water, and their litter will get wet and covered with fungus and mold.
There is an additional requirement for water supply devices for domestic chickens - freezing in winter. To prevent this, a homemade heater can be placed above the vessel with liquid. If you do not want to mess with the wires, you can install a normal aquarium heater. Such a device costs from five hundred to one thousand rubles.
Varieties and features
There are many varieties of chicken drinkers that you can do yourself. The main ones are vacuum and nipple devices. You can also make a drinker from PVC pipe or an old bucket. By the way, the last two devices are very easy to make.
To make the most simple installation, you can use many items:
However, behind the benefits and simplicity of the design are some of the "cons". For example, the poultry farmer will need to change the drinking water every day, since a lot of garbage quickly accumulates in the tank. In addition, such drinkers are not very stable and even a young chicken can knock it over, climbing from above. Experienced poultry farmers note that it is better for chickens to install small vessels.
If in your chicken coop there are from five to ten individuals, then it is better to give preference to a vacuum-type drinker. The design of this device is designed so that, if necessary, the water in it itself will be filled.
Protection against pouring is provided by atmospheric pressure. The only requirement is that the liquid for drinking should always be at a certain level.
To arrange an automatic water supply, chicken owners often make nipple drinkers with a more complex structure. These systems are considered the most popular because they can be used to provide drinking water for both chickens and adult chickens. For assembly you need to get special nipples. Their design allows water to flow when the nipple moves.
Nipple design
Despite the wide distribution, nipple drinkers have one “minus”. The bottom line is that several birds will be able to drink the water at the same time, because in the heat, next to such systems real slaughterhouses will take place, especially after eating. To avoid problems, it is necessary to foresee the number of nipples in advance. The advantages of these devices include the following:
- water protection from dirt
- savings due to metered water supply,
- structural durability
- simplicity and ease of operation.
As for the service, then just it is enough to add water periodically. You do not need a lot of time and effort. In most cases, nipple-type devices are fixed on the cage grid, so birds cannot overturn it.
Nipple systems reduce water consumption about more than 20 times, due to the dosage. The use of drift eliminators saves even more.
The manufacture of a nipple type of installation can be managed on its own. To make such a drinker, you need to adhere to the following scheme of actions:
- Take a PVC pipe. Its diameter should be from 2 to 4 cm. Cut a 60 cm piece from it. Make a marker mark with an interval of 10 cm. In these areas nipples will be placed.
- Cut off the excess pipe using a pipe cutter or a hacksaw. Defects can be corrected with a sharp blade.
- Take a drill and a 9 mm drill bit. Make neat holes in the areas that have been marked with a marker. Then blow through the structure to remove plastic chips.
- Install nipple holes. Since there will not be a strong pressure in the drinking bowl, there is no need to install seals.
- From one end of the plastic pipe, install the cap, from the other - a special wick. To fix the elements, you can use a special soldering iron.
- Check the operation of the drinker. If the system is working, put the latches and fix the fixture.
Creating a vacuum drinker
The principle of operation of this variety of drinkers for chickens is that the water in them is supplied under pressure. Capacity for this purpose can be used any. So, for the manufacture of avtoopilki for chickens do it yourself:
- Find a liter bottle and a cap from deodorant or juice.
- Screw the lid onto the jar and fix its top edge on the bottle with a marker.
- Make a hole with a diameter of 8 to 12 mm. For this purpose, you can use a heated knife or a conventional drill.
- Type in the water bottle and tighten the cap. Then turn the vessel over and check the performance of the structure. To improve the stability of the drinker need to firmly secured with wire, tape and clamps.
PVC pipe device
Everything the most amazing inventions have a simple design. This also applies to the PVC pipe system. These systems have many advantages: simplicity, reliability and availability. To make such a drinker, you need to use the following scheme:
- Find a plastic pipe. At one end of it should be a bend, and at the other - a stub. Apply a straight line on the tube with a marker. To simplify the task, use the building level.
- Then you need to take a small rectangular timber. It is needed to create marks on the contour of the rectangle.
- At the edges of the marked rectangle you need to make holes with a screwdriver or a drill. To prevent the drill from jumping off, a small groove can be made with an awl or nail.
- Having made the holes, give the pipe the necessary shape with a jigsaw. Irregularities and defects need to be cleaned with sandpaper.
- After that, it remains only to put the latches or clamps and install the system on the ground, pouring water into it through a bend.
Bucket Fixture
If you have no desire or time to make a difficult drinker for chickens and spend money on the purchase of “store” devices, then a drinking installation can be made from an unnecessary, but a whole bucket. To do this, make a hole in its bottom and place the container on the lid with grooves.
To make simple drinking bowl it can be different. Take the paint bucket and the flower pot tray. The pallet size must be larger than the tank. Make a hole in the tank and on the rim. Then pour a small amount of water into the bucket and cover it with a lid. Put the vessel in the pan. Water will gradually accumulate in the pan, but it will not flow out after it reaches the level of the holes. When the animals drink, the tray will gradually fill up.
There are a number of recommendations to protect bird water from pollution. First of all, it is necessary to control that the top of the structure is approximately at the level of the back of the hens. The size of the drinker depends on the feed used or the temperature inside the chicken house. For example, if the room temperature never drops below +20 degrees, then it is undesirable to keep more than 400 ml of water in the drinking bowl. Guided by this rule, you can determine the size of the tank for the device drinking.
Types of drinking bowls for poultry
Conventionally, these devices are classified into three groups:
- simple drinkers
- vacuum constructions
- nipple drinkers for chickens.
The latter are most effective for the automation of modern farming. Therefore, we take a closer look at their device.
Why is it necessary to equip farms with automatic drinkers?
There are a number of problems that such fixtures easily solve. Namely:
Primitive drinkers (containers with water) turn the hens. This means that water is spent much more than it could.
Nipple drinker is very convenient.
On a large farm requires an impressive volume of capacity. But the water in them quickly becomes unusable (the bird climbs there, soiling all the contents). As a result, the water in such drinking bowls has to be changed several times a day. This is inconvenient and impractical. And this is not the best option for watering chickens.
Being in open containers, water is more susceptible to breeding harmful microorganisms in it, which is unsafe for the health of the bird.
What is a nipple system for watering chickens?
Such poultry watering devices operate on the principle of water supply directly at the moment when the pets want to quench their thirst. They get the liquid through the nipple (from the English. Nipple - "nipple"). Accidentally spilled excess water is not lost, but is stored in special droplet separators. Nipples are installed in a pipe that is connected to either a tank filled with water or water supply. As a result, the process of watering chickens becomes fully automated.
Such a drinker purchased in the store. This design may seem complicated, in fact, it is quite realistic to do it yourself.
Drinker can be bought in the store or make yourself
Instructions for the manufacture of nipple drinkers
There are two options for such drinkers: simpler and more complicated. First of all I want to talk about that which is more laborious in the manufacture, but also more practical. Therefore, we consider in detail how to build such a model with your own hands. You will need:
- plastic pipe (optimal diameter - 10 cm),
- stubs
- drainage
- nipples
- reservoirs catching drops,
- pressure regulator
- screwdriver
- knife for making holes (or electric jigsaw).
This option implies that the liquid in the drinker comes directly from the water supply. You can easily make such a nipple drinker with your own hands. You need to stock up on all the necessary materials. The installation process is quite simple.
Nippelny drinking bowl in a section
You should start by bringing the pipe to the desired type. It must be provided with holes for each nipple. You will also need openings for connecting with a source of liquid - water supply. You can make holes with a regular knife, pre-sharpened and red-hot on the fire. If you have an electric jigsaw, the process will become even easier.
When necessary holes are made, close the pipe with plugs on both sides. Next, mount the structure to where it should be in the chicken coop. Remember that height is determined by you yourself, depending on the size of the hens.
Attach the nipples and the water source to the fixed drinker. To the last set the pressure regulator. For each nipple it is desirable to bring the catchers drops. They can, again, make their own hands from plastic bottles. You should cut the stand of the desired shape and hang under each nipple. So, accidentally spilled, but not drunk by the water of the birds will not be consumed in vain. Pets will drink it from this stand later.
These drinkers are convenient for chickens. The process of supplying poultry with water becomes simple and automated with this model.
However, it is important to observe some technical subtleties in order for the drinker to work efficiently and smoothly.
If you make a nipple drinker, be sure to install the nipples so that the water level in the pipe is always above them. Otherwise they will not work. There must be enough air in the pipe to allow water to flow along the nipples to the bird (in the event of a vacuum, this will not be possible).
Nipple drinkers are good for chickens.
Simplified version
There is a slightly different kind of nipple drinkers that are easy to do with your own hands. Their basis is not a pipe, but a spacious water tank. To make such a device, you will need:
- a container (for example, a 5-liter plastic bottle),
- nipples
- reservoirs catching drops,
- screwdriver
- mounting brackets.
Start making the drinker by mounting the nipple in the bottle cap. To do this, pre-drill a hole in it with a screwdriver. After fasten the nipple and put the cap on the bottle. Lock the drip catcher under the nipple, which you will do with your own hands, as described above.
The height of the drinker depends on the age of the bird.
Next, you only need to install the resulting drinker in a position upside down with the help of brackets in the right place. For a large farm, it is better to make several such structures. Do not forget that the water level in such a drinker should always be above the nipple edge.
We hope our advice will help you in the arrangement of the farm!
How to make a nipple drinker
Their advantages are as follows:
- water saving
- water protection from dirt and debris,
- sustainability
- convenience of service.
Adult hens and chickens can use the nipple trough. Laying birds do well with pins moving up and down. Broilers and chickens establish designs with water supply in any direction. With proper production of the drinking pot, maintenance takes several minutes a day and consists only in topping up the water as it is consumed.
It is possible to make such a construction from any plastic container - even from a washed plastic bucket from building mixtures. The wider the bottom of the bucket, the better. In the manufacture and calculation of materials, it is necessary to correctly calculate the needs of farmed chickens for drinking, so that there is no crush in the heat around the poleniki. Each bird drinks through the nipple, so the number of nipples must meet the needs of the chicken population.
With regard to the selection of the nipple, in this matter come from the age of the population. For example, for young stock model 3600 will be the best choice, which rotates 360 degrees. For adults, the best option would be the nipples 1800, which are activated when you press up and down.
Creating a nipple drinker is simple:
- At the bottom of the tank, you need to drill the required number of holes and insert a drinker nipple into each.
- Strengthen the construction at a convenient height for the hens.
Water consumption in such a pot is 20 times less than in the traditional one. This makes it much less likely to follow its desolation. In addition, a hose from a water supply system or a tank can be brought to the structure. Will help to save on water and special drift eliminators.
Drinking bowls are collected not only from tanks, but also from PVC water pipes, which are placed on the wall along the entire length.
Nipple drinkers for plastic pipe chickens:
- cut a pipe with a diameter of 2-3 cm of the required length. Every 10 cm (for young) or 25 cm (for adults), mark up the phone - nipples will be placed in these places,
- with a 9-mm screwdriver, drill holes,
- tap to make thread,
- blow the tube through, blowing out the dust from drilling,
- screw nipples
- put a cap on one end, an adapter on the other end, on which the hose will be mounted,
- install drip pans or micro cups,
- check the design for functionality, blowing in the free end. The wind should be blown out of each nipple,
- fasten the clamps to the wall of the chicken coop and fix in them a bowl
- to hold the hose from the drinking pot to the water supply.
The most important thing in such a system is the correct installation of the nipple, otherwise the device will not function.
Vacuum drinkers
According to another principle, a vacuum cup works, the water from which is supplied by vacuum. The simplest version of this design is an inverted three-liter jar, the water from which flows into the plate in which the neck is immersed. Вода в банке удерживается, благодаря разнице давления внутри и на поверхности тарелки. Когда уровень в ней снижается, в банку втягивается воздушный пузырь, позволяющий вылиться нужному количеству жидкости.
Now glass jars have ceased to be relevant because of their weight, fragility and inconvenience of processing. They were replaced by plastic containers.
An example of the manufacture of drinking bowls from 5 l or 10 l bottles. For the construction of tanks take a plastic bottle of 5 or 10 liters.
Independent production of vacuum drinkers for chickens:
- pick up a bottle from under the water, a plastic cap and the top cover, which will include the usual,
- screw the lid on the bottle and mark the place where it ends on the bottle,
- with a heated kitchen knife, make a hole with a diameter of 8-10 mm, not higher than the mark,
- type water in the container, screw the cap and turn the bottle over to check the functionality.
The drinking bowl is ready. Now it is necessary to fix it on the wall of the chicken coop or on its rods with hose clamps. A 5-liter bottle of water is enough for a day to a dozen chickens.
From plastic sewer pipe
It is a simple and durable design, convenient to create.
- For the manufacture will require a sewer pipe with a diameter of 15 cm.
- On the one hand, you need to install a cap. On the other - to bring the hose
- In the tube cut oval elongated slots with jumpers.
- The pipe is easily cut by a heated knife.
- Irregularities process sandpaper.
- Installation is made to the wall through the clamps at the level of the back of a chicken so that it does not splash in it.
The simplest drinking bucket
If you are interested in a temporary simple version of the drinking pot, then you can make the equipment from a construction bucket and a pallet.
- The pallet diameter must be greater than the top of the pot.
- In a bucket at a distance of 1 cm from the top, drill 2 holes opposite each other.
- After that, pour water into a pot and cover it with a tray. Gently flip the design.
- Gradually there will accumulate fluid flowing from the 2 holes. After its level reaches the holes, the flow will stop.
When the birds drink from this drinker, the fluid level will recover itself.
Drinker Requirements for Chickens
One hen can drink a different amount of liquid depending on age, weather and amount of food eaten. However, an adult chicken will drink at least 500 ml. Chicken drinks water twice as much as it eats feed.
To prevent the bird from having access to drinking water, there are several requirements for drinking water:
- convenience. The vessel should be easy to fill. Preferably in an automated way. You need to place it in such a way that the distributor can add drugs, liquid vitamins or supplements to the liquid,
- security. Metal structures should be stainless steel, and plastic from food-grade plastic. The device should be free of sharp corners and piercing elements. Otherwise, the bird may scratch and then peck begins,
- hygiene. The container should be isolated from external factors so that water does not become a source of infection. Do not enter chicken excrement. The vessel should be well washed. The bird should not splash in it,
- sustainability. Chickens are able to accidentally knock over a pot. Water will spill, dampness will appear in the hen house, humidity will increase. And this can cause all sorts of diseases,
- functionality. The bird must have unhindered access to drinking. If the nipple type drinker, the number of nipples must match the number of chickens.
Chickens creatures brisk and not always neat. All structures must be securely fastened, otherwise the chickens can fly into the water or simply overturn it. Wet chicken is a chilled bird that can catch a cold at any moment. Then you have to treat her runny nose and cough.
What are the drinkers
Simple designs are made from old construction buckets or PVC pipes. You can make your own nipple or vacuum drinker.
Vacuum and nipple drinkers are the optimal choice of a zealous owner who values his time and energy:
- The design of the vacuum drinking bowl is arranged in such a way that water is always added up itself as it is consumed. This is ideal for growing a small herd of 5-10 birds.
- Nipple design is more complicated, but it allows you to make an automatic water supply. For the manufacture of nipples are needed, from which water will flow when exposed to them and drift eliminators, allowing to reduce water consumption.
Separately, you can select roomy and comfortable siphon views. They can be put on the floor or mounted on the wall. The design of the drinking bowl consists of a siphon system, a glass and a pallet.
Cup pointers are a small vessel with a tongue floating inside and blocking the water from a hose. They work as follows: in the vessels filled to the top, the tongues float to the surface and the inflow of water is blocked. As water is used up, the tongue goes down and a new portion is poured into the cup. These are simple and convenient models.
Again, in order to avoid colds and weaken immunity in chickens, as well as not to have problems caused by freezing of water, the drinkers can be heated for the winter.
- A simple home-made design is a low tin box with an opening sidewall, in which the cord with the base of the lamp.
- On the box, put a bottle.
- When you turn on the incandescent bulbs at 40 W, the walls of the box heat up and that is enough to keep the water in the saucer warm.
When creating such a design, money is spent only on the purchase of a light bulb, since all other materials are usually on the site.
As you can see, to make a normal watering, so that the bird does not feel any discomfort under the power of any host. An automated water supply device may take longer, but the result in reducing the need for a human presence when caring for pets is worth it.
Makarov Ivan Vasilyevich
Hereditary poultry farmer, owner of a poultry farm, graduated from St. Petersburg State Agrarian University with honors, the author of articles in specialized publications
Compliance with the rules for drinking water
For the most ordinary open drinking trough, it is allowed 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 chickens and chickens are not particularly neat and often crawl with their paws in a container with water. They pollute it, turn it over, therefore, it is unacceptable for the purposes of hygiene and economy.
Before you make an automatic drinker, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with a number of important rules.:
- the device must be sufficiently stable, for this purpose, it should be fixed to the wall,
- Autodrinking should be designed according to the closed type so that the birds do not have the opportunity, there becomes paws,
- water change takes about 3 days,
- in winter, due to artificial heating does not occur water freezing in the water tank,
- the water in such a tank is always clean, microbes do not appear,
- Birds do not destroy the tank, and can safely use it.
This is one of the ideal conditions for the maintenance of chickens, which will greatly facilitate the task and reduce the waste of valuable time. Here, for example, poultry farms have long been equipped with nipple auto-drinkers.
Need to know! The cup must be made food grade plasticand also not contain inside painting and fuel sludge.
Materials and tools for creating automated drinking trough
For the manufacture of drinking bowls with their own hands do not need professional skills. It is enough to buy a bottle of 5-7 liters, such capacity can be bought with bottled water. You also need to find a small tub and a few clips - they will fix the filled container. Next, you need to flip the bottle, fasten on the clips and ready. The stores sell the same products with a similar design.
To date, especially nipple car drinkers. To build the device is a little more difficult and the following will be required:
- marker,
- device for threading,
- several clamps
- water plug
- plastic hose
- pipe adapter
- water tank
- nipples 360 and 180 - the first will be needed for large individuals, the second for chickens,
- drip pan,
- screwdriver
- drill,
- Drinker fencing materials,
- materials for fastening the device.
Big list necessary items It should not frighten, the whole construction is going to be extremely simple.
Making a nipple drinker with their own hands
The nipple type auto drinkers, unlike their counterparts, are a model for automated water supply. Allowed use any capacity, even a bucket, the main condition is the dropper. One of the simplest nipple systems is such a scheme: nipples are mounted in a hanging bucket, they are located at the very bottom. The product can also supply water from the tank or be equipped with a flow system. To create avtogilki for birds will need basic sanitary knowledge, then the device quality will be level with with factory devices.
Manufacturing process
- First you need to prepare the workplace and tools.
- Further, holes are made in the pipe in 30 cm increments, but in the case of a pipe 100 cm long, it is recommended to make no more than 5 holes. If you make more holes, then for chickens this will be a significant inconvenience.
- Holes should be drilled in the place where internal grooves are located, no further water leakage will occur. The hole diameter should be about 9 mm, nipples that are wound in advance with Teflon tape are installed there too - this will prevent water from flowing.
- Further, the stub is taken and put on the pipe and no matter which side. The hose is fixed to the other edge; it must be fed to the water supply system.
- Attaching the drip catcher will create additional comfort for chickens.
Such auto-drinking is the best option, because different microorganisms do not form in the water due to the fact that water the device does not stagnate. The system is fully automated, which means that birds will have the opportunity to drink water at any time. There is a small minus - a relatively small waste of money, and an adult bird can break the design by jumping on the pipe, but the construction of a small fence will solve this problem. Simplified nipple option automated drinkers.
It is done this way.
- Any clean vessel is chosen.
- A hole is made at the bottom
- The nipple is mounted in a 9 mm hole
- The tank is filled with water and fixed in a suspended state - the height is chosen so that the chickens can easily get to the trough.
Everything is very simple the device is ready!
Making a vacuum drinker with your own hands
For the device used glass jars of different size, the water from the inverted tank gradually flows into the bowl in which the container is installed. Fluid retention occurs due to pressure in the can and at the top of the bowl. It is done this way - as the water is removed from the bowl, air passes in an inverted capacity in a certain amount and, accordingly, water flows out as much as the chickens drank. The jar should be well secured and imparted to the structure. maximum stiffness. Chickens are rather curious and restless, so they can easily break the entire system and turn over the capacity.
Hit is necessary for the construction:
- make a gap
- find a jar
- prepare clean water
- find a bowl.
Vacuum Plastic Car Drinker - it is done very simply. It is important that the rim of the bowl be rounded or rubber trimmed so that the chickens cannot injure the neck.
Manufacturing process
- First, a high plastic basin is taken so that the level of the board height does not become higher than the level of the chicken neck.
- Further, holes are made in the bottle at a height of 15 cm from the bottom, then the full container should be placed in the basin. After that, the water will begin to drain and flatten out with the hole, perhaps a little higher.
- When water is consumed, the level in the tank decreases and refills.em missing amount in the pelvis. This is done by entering the air bubble, which distributes the pressure. A bottle of 5 liters will provide about 10 chickens with water.
Vacuum drinker of 2 bottles - The device is also easy to make, and the materials are right at hand. Manufacturing process
- Initially selected 2 bottles with stoppers for 5 and 8 liters.
- Further, a bowl is cut from one large container to a height of 15 cm.
- Then the two plugs are connected, and the bottle is turned over.
- A hole is made in the vessel wall to a height below the level of the bowl.
- It is necessary to pour water into the bottle and screw the cork together with the bowl.
- The hole should be covered with a finger, and then set the device to the wall with the help of derzhak.
- At the end of the finger is removed, and the water begins to flow into the saucer, creating a vacuum.
Vacuum Trough Drinker - the product is placed on the level of the back of the bird, in which case they will not be able to penetrate there with their paws.
Manufacturing process
- A plastic pipe is being prepared.
- The knife is taken and heated to a hot state.
- Next, cut holes with a hot knife.
- Then the edges are muffled and water is connected to one end through a water main.
- At the end, a drainage valve is constructed, which performs the function of cleaning the tank.
All plumbing supplies are sold in the store.
Need to know! It is necessary to provide moderate heat in the winter time - heaters for aquariums are suitable for such an organization, they will do an excellent job with this task. Need to know! For chickens drinking trough is constructed on the same principleas for adult chickens, but the vessel should be smaller.
All types of drinking bowls work on the same system - providing chickens with automatic water supply. The design can be fenced with a cage or left open, but the first option is more convenient. Special financial costs are not required, and the material for the manufacture of the device abound. You can also use fantasy and build a bird feeder with your own hands according to your own preferences.