It is unlikely that anyone will argue with the statement that domestic chickens need constant care. And special attention should be paid to the watering of the bird, since water is vital for the normal functioning of all metabolic processes in the body of the bird.
Proper organization of watering chickens is no less important than feeding and building a chicken coop or nests for laying hens, as the livestock population depends on it.
Drinkers for chickens can be bought in many specialized stores, but why do it if the same drinker can be made from scrap materials?
Why is a good drinker important?
Most farmers face a certain list of problems when watering birds. Often chickens turn over too light water containers.trying to get up on their feet.
Water is poured on the ground, so the livestock owner has to re-pour it.
As a way out of this situation, more weighty drinkers could be used, but too much water should be poured into them. Chickens are not physically able to drink such a large volume of liquid, therefore water stagnates and deteriorates. After a day it can not be given to birds, otherwise they can get sick.
There is also a problem with jumping chickens in drinkers. Especially active individuals often try to squeeze through other chickens to get to the water. However, they can easily step into her dirty feet. Dirt immediately reduces water quality.therefore, it needs to be changed.
In the winter season, the water in open drinking bowls freezes.. Thus, the birds can not meet their water needs. Farmers often have to break the ice or put up new water.
All the problems listed above can solve nipple drinkers for chickens once and for all. They significantly reduce water consumption, and are also very convenient to use.
What is needed for the manufacture of nipple?
At first glance it may seem that the drinkers of this type are complex devices that are impossible to assemble at home. In fact, it turns out that even under the circumstances of the dacha, efficient mechanisms can be built.
For their manufacture will need:
- screwdriver or drill with a 9 mm drill diameter;
- square pipe for nipple watering, 1 m long and 22x22 mm in size;
- nipples 1800 and 3600;
- pipe plug;
- roulette;
- adapter from round pipe to square;
- drip tray;
- microcup drinker;
- long flexible hose;
- tank with water.
Each homemade nipple shelf consists of the elements listed above. 1800 nipple only works when moving up and down, so it is suitable for watering adults. As for the nipple 3600, it can work in any direction, which allows it to be used to water the chickens.
The photo below shows some elements of the nipple drinker:
Nipple Drinking Elements
Manufacturing technology
To make a normal homemade drinkers for chickens, it is worthwhile to buy nipples in advance. They can be found in specialized stores at a price of about 30 rubles apiece.
Experts recommend to acquire nipples of foreign manufacturers, as domestic often become clogged and broken during the first month of operation.
Before starting work it is necessary to mark with a marker on the pipe the places where holes will be made for inserting nipples. The distance between the holes should not be less than 30 cmotherwise the birds will crowd at the trough, pushing each other.
On average, 3 nipples can be placed on one meter pipe, but in no case should you install more than 5. It is very important to drill holes only on the side where there are internal grooves. This will reduce the risk of water leakage.
In the photo you can see the scheme of operation of the nipple drinker for chickens:
Scheme of operation nipple drinkers
Immediately after drilling the hole for the nipple, it is necessary to cut the thread with a tapered tap. Then the nipples are screwed. For extra leakage protection, you can cover them with Teflon tape.
At the end of the pipe is attached stub. Now you can begin to prepare the water tank. For these purposes, it is better to choose a plastic tank with a lid. In its bottom a small hole for a hose is cut. The thread is cut through it and the hose is screwed tightly.
The function of the hose is to connect the tank with the pipe. If it has cracks or any other imperfect places, then they are sealed with Teflon tape.
Final stage - installation of drift catchers under the nipples 3600 and micro-cup drinkers under the nipples of 1800. Only now we can say that the drip drinker for chickens is ready for use in the yard.
Look more clearly at the video:
More simple watering methods
Many farmsteads still use simpler watering methods for poultry. Often, for these purposes, cup drinkers for chickens are used in the form of any containers where you can pour water.
However, it has many drawbacks, since chickens can easily flip the water tank. It is better to use a plain pipe as a simple drinker.
Immediately need to say that drinking bowl for chickens from the pipe is done pretty quickly. It is enough to take a plastic pipe with a diameter of 100 mm and a length of 200 cm, plugs, brackets for mounting and removal.
Holes are cut through this tube with an electric jigsaw or heated knife. After completion of the process, the edges of the holes must undergo additional processing, as they remain very sharp.
When all the holes have been made and machined, brackets can be attached to the pipe that will hold it at a convenient height.
Drinking bowl for chickens from a pipe
This drinker is very convenient for farmers who contain both large amounts of poultry. However, there are also disadvantages: periodically it is necessary to clean the pipe with a sponge, as it quickly becomes dirty after precipitation.
Vacuum type of fixture
This type of chicken drinker works on the simplest principle: the pressure stored in the tank does not allow water to flow out of it.
Each vacuum drinking bowl for chickens consists of a usual glass jar, a bowl, a wooden stand and, of course, water.
To build such a drinker, just pour water into a glass jar and take a small, not very deep bowl.
The can of water is turned over and placed on wooden stands placed at the bottom of the bowl. At this time, some of the water is bottled, but the rest of the volume remains in the jar until the chickens drink all the water from the bowl.
This method of drinking is very simple, as vacuum drinkers or any other automatic drinkers for chickens do not require the purchase of specific parts. But birds can easily flip the can if they try to jump on it. They can also stain water by trying to step on their feet in a bowl.
A more complex type of poultry watering system is a siphon drinking bowl for chickens. It also uses a large plastic water tank, hoses, taps and a tray where water will flow.
Inside there is a float that constantly adjusts the water level in the tank or bottle. To build such a system at home is quite difficult, so it is better to buy ready-made options.
The self-made vacuum drinking bowl for chickens is presented in the photo below:
The video will help you in making:
Conclusion
The variety of drinkers for chickens may surprise a novice bird breeder. Some of them may show especially difficult, but this is not quite so. Almost all types of drinkers for chickens are easily made at home. The main thing to carry with you the necessary tools, materials for the manufacture and the desire to create a drinking bowl with your own hands.
Remember that clean water in the right amount - the guarantee of health of your birds.
