Rain Collecting Automatic Chicken Waterer

[@daddykirbs]

I never did glue the fittings. The chickens mostly stay off of the PVC. The few times that they did get on them, the PVC just rotated and they fell off. This rendered the drinkers pretty useless for a little while, but the barrel was never drained.

[@daddykirbs]

This was my first video that did *great* on KZbin and is still my most viewed video with over 150,000 views now. I am amazed! My channel is maturing and I'm grateful to *you* because you have encouraged me to keep doing what I do on the farm and on my channel. I'm going to have a dance party when I hit 1 Million views! I'll be all alone dancing in the orchard probably, but I'm going to call it a party. Thank you for encouraging me, Blake, A.K.A. Daddykirbs

[@MichaelDadourian]

Congrats on your views. 150,000 views or 15 views, as long as it reaches the right people. #WorthIt

[@rivahkillah]

How would you alter the design if you were to build another?

[@daddykirbs]

You are welcome... Thanks for spending a little time with me here. I appreciate your comments.

[@daddykirbs]

Rain would be nice! :). This stayed full for a long time until a few days ago when a chicken tried to roost on the PVC and it came apart. The entire drum emptied into the coop!

[@acrosby74]

This is great ! I can't wait to show it to my husband and son. Here in S. GA it can get pretty hot and we try to be diligent about changing the water daily but this is a simple idea that would make that chore so much easier.

[@daddykirbs]

I'm sure I could have done something like that. This way I'm able to take apart easily if I need too. Thanks for the thought.

[@daddykirbs]

that's a great idea. I have meant to do the same on mine. I have other watering needs right outside the coop that I could utilize the extra water for. In fact I have a separate barrel that I intend to attach to this one to double the capacity. I think I will put the hose bib on that overflow. There will be a video of it when It's complete.

[@daddykirbs]

Yes, the barrel does overflow sometimes. I have 19 chickens using this system.

[@1Rockbilly]

If you cut the top of the barrel off about an inch to 2 inches from the ring and then cut another inch or so off the barrel itself the top will slip inside the barrel. But your idea seems to work fine and the screen filter is a very good idea. I wonder, what if you ran the water pipe all the way across the pen to a support on the other side and add supports intermittently across the pipe if it would be more stable? The chickens would roost on it for sure...

[@daddykirbs]

I'm glad you find it helpful. Make a video of your version of it! I'd love to see it :)

[@daddykirbs]

Something like this can save you a lot of dirty work! I still do provide bowls around the yard, but if they go empty I'm not overly concerned.

[@nickhead9512]

you could have made a two inch hole, or smaller right under the outspout, to attach the nut, then plugged the hole, and every so often pull the plug to flush the barrel :D

[@etpeloquin]

That is a great idea. I actually have a barrel exactly like that, I will have to give this a try. I live in Massachusetts so I would have to deal with the problem of freezing.

[@1Rockbilly]

The chicken nipples seem to be the most sanitary and least troublesome method for watering the chickens, they kick debris and crap in troughs even if you hang them up above breast height. I live in Idaho though and this system would freeze and break in the winter without some sort of heating device, I am thinking about putting a water trough heater inside the barrel, or maybe you could just bury the barrel up to it's ring in compost...

[@daddykirbs]

thanks! I'd love to see a video of it when you are finished.

[@daddykirbs]

The gutter sometimes gets full of leaves, but the barrel has never clogged.

[@daddykirbs]

What is your preferred method for watering the chickens? I like the drip drinkers, but I keep looking at other methods.

[@daddykirbs]

@EBouleyPhotos Nope, I have never seen a chicken sweat. Does it show on there comb, feet, eyes.... or what??

[@doctor41baller]

Oh ok, well I may only start out with 4 to 6 chickens. So definetly will overflow. Maybe I'll tee off for a water hose and use it for watering as well....Thanks for the video

[@Adamskys]

all ya need is a birth bath heater or a fish tank heather something like that just drop it in prehaps with a submersible pump so that the water keeps moving inside the tank to help stop it freezing :)

[@daddykirbs]

I will be modifying the system soon. In that video I will give detailed parts lists. For this version what parts are you looking for names for? Is it the PVC parts names?

[@thewolflygamer3840]

1:25 Cute little chicken hiding from the camera lol. Genius idea!

[@daddykirbs]

Thanks! I'd love to see a video of it when you are finished :)

[@cbeuning]

I really like this. Did you ever glue the fittings together?? I can see the birds perching on the PVC and it falling out of the T and draining the barrel. I have made a few designs of rain barrels and have them around the property. Some of them there is no good way to keep mosquito's out of. SO, we add feeder goldfish in the spring. They eat the mosquito eggs laid on the surface of the water. It works well.

[@TheAbledGardener]

Love your set-up, although not feasible in our area due to drought, ( nor-Cal) it would have to be well water, it is similar to one I am working on for watering the garden with pvc running to each of the raised beds, but again, I will have to fill it with well water that has been filtered with an inline filter system to remove pesticides, contaminants etc.Keep up the great vids.

[@daddykirbs]

We have long periods without rain too. This system is currently disassembled due to the brick foundation falling apart. I will rebuild it again... someday LOL

[@TheAbledGardener]

Blake Kirby I am hoping to get a filter on mine so a large bag of compost tea can be hung into it the day before I water. I water 2-3 times a weeks during the heat, so if I could go out and turn on the spigot before bed, the garden will be watered with compost tea in the cool of the night and I won't have to run around like a chicken with my head cut off in the evening or get up early in the morning to water all 4 gardens before the heat hits the day. (I've seen the chicken thing, not pretty, haha, seriously)

[@percykirby2]

I like your frugality of materials at hand. Good job fellow Kirby.

[@daddykirbs]

@Jesstool Thank you much :)

[@daddykirbs]

Hey another Kirby! Cool. Jon, I assure you this is not their only water source. There are bowls and dishes around the yard.

[@daddykirbs]

I'm glad you got something out of it!

[@galanie]

I'm wondering if you couldn't have just hot glued the screen right on to the top of the blue barrel.

[@aquabarrel]

don't have to have a large hole if you use parts from RainBarrelParts . com - they have threaded grommet that should work

[@doctor41baller]

Doing research for the future....but question, How often does it rain? Does your barrel ever get to overflowing because its more water then they consume? How many chickens do have? I may only have 4-6 at beginning

[@chrismcintyre845]

What part of the country do you live in? What do you do in winter to keep the water from freezing

[@HmongGuitarPlayer]

What do you do as far as keeping the water clean and algae free,could you put a little bit of clorox bleach in the water?

[@daddykirbs]

Bury in compost? ...that may work. We don't deal with freezing much.

[@kethrill7223]

i love the system but in the About area can you leave a components list. so i can look for exact names.

[@daddykirbs]

nice suggestions.

[@OurHalfAcreHomestead]

Nice Job!

[@AlbertaUrbanGarden]

What a great Design Blake!!

[@daddykirbs]

The two points of failure have been the brick foundation and the dry fitted PVC. The bricks are shifting and the birds sometimes will knock the PVC loose. Otherwise it's fantastic :)

[@AlbertaUrbanGarden]

The best designs always end up with Alen tweets :)

[@daddykirbs]

This barrel does not have a removable top. It is all solid plastic.

[@daddykirbs]

Thanks! I appreciate that.

[@daddykirbs]

@chicklet13231 :) I assure you, she is fine. I think she was just looking for some shade.

[@daddykirbs]

Are we long lost cousins? LOL Thanks, I appreciate the compliments.

[@soniasia5558]

Cool idea! Thanks for sharing. 👍😀

[@OurHalfAcreHomestead]

Thanks!

[@Henaynei]

Well done Might want to close off the hidey hole where the chickens might lay eggs under the water barrel :)

[@daddykirbs]

This isn't in place right now. It fell down due to a poorly build brick foundation :) Someday when I put it back up I'll make it less inviting to the chickens.

[@gator70422]

Good job .. I'm incorporating a similar watering system for my coop

[@wilecatrexy]

Pretty clever. Great idea.

[@daddykirbs]

Thank you :)

[@TheasGarden]

Very nice! good water source for the chicken's, how long does it take for them to drink it?

[@daddykirbs]

When it was operational it never ran out.

[@TheasGarden]

Are you no longer using this watering method ? It looks like it would be quite an effective watering system 👍

[@daddykirbs]

***** I love it and someday will set it back up. Those bricks finally gave way under the weight of the tub and it fell over. I will make a better foundation for it.

[@DonALofts]

The chicken is on the wrong side of the fence. Looks thirsty

[@mmmith]

You have some great videos, I will be able to learn quite a bit from them.

[@MuSiCNAZ1]

full of algae?

[@HmongGuitarPlayer]

Does it ever clog?

[@TheSowerWentOut]

Love this idea.

[@daddykirbs]

Thanks! It's been pretty good to me. I do have some modifications that I need to make to it this year.

[@TheSowerWentOut]

Post your modifications. We would be interested.

[@2007DNT]

Great video and idea! We plan to duplicate some of it!

[@benjaminunderwood12]

how mine chikens dose the work for

[@kileydogg]

very nice, thanks for the idea..

[@EBouleyPhotos]

@daddykirbs Yeah, she's good :D Don't fret! My chickens do that when they are warm. Like dogs panting! :D Have you ever seen a chicken "sweat"?

[@daddykirbs]

Thanks! I checked out your channel as well, subbed. :)

[@Jesstool]

nice work man :)

[@Dandymoments]

very nice thanks for sharing!

[@ZWATER1]

Ty

[@mittelstein1661]

thank you!

[@festavusfortherestof]

At 1:10????? Why didn't you just pop the top off? It'll go back on!

[@chicklet13231]

that chicken is dehydrated...stuck on the wrong side of the fence X(

[@CharlaHarriett]

Awesome👍

[@CharlaHarriett]

We will come 2 Ur party!

[@jckirby7994]

i like this blake...

[@daddykirbs]

+Jc Kirby It has been a very successful video for me. I'm glad you found it useful.

[@daddykirbs]

make it! ... make a video :)

[@TheMrKrause]

Awesome

[@henhero]

I have to do it :)

[@ZWATER1]

👍

[@bitcoinbill]

Chickens don't have fingers OR nipples... just sayin'....