![Chickens drinking from nipples]()
Backyard chicken keepers with more than a dozen chicken soften turn to bucket waterers for clean, economical drinking waterer. By installing multiple chicken nipples in the bottom of a five gallon bucket, you can provide water for up to 50 chickens. (Be sure to provide at least one cup of water per chicken and to ask no more than 17 chickens to share the same nipple.)
![Bucket and PVC pipe waterer]()
Want to see more innovative waterers? Check out chicken waterer blog posts here.
Have you had anyone send pictures of waterers they’ve built with your chicken nipples that has been attached to a rain barrel? It’s late in the year to tackle the project now, but I am thinking of trying to do something this spring.
I’ve been itching to make one myself, but haven’t, and no one has sent me any photos or notes about making one themselves. If you try it, I hope you’ll send me photos! I don’t see any reason it wouldn’t work.
I would question the quality of the water. I dont empty out enough water to think that no nasty stuff is left. I wouldnt trust it from a health of your chicken point.
Chris — Good point. Perhaps if the rain barrel had a first flush overflow system and filter the way I’ve seen on some.
I made an auto-fill waterer using a 5 gallon bucket and a toilet float that hooks up to a garden hose. Worked great!!!
I built one this last summer and at first I thought it was great. I did find that I had to clean it often because of debris that the chickens were dropping in the holes around the sides. I also found that I had to heat the water in the winter and I used foam insulation on the hose leading to the bucket. The chickens destroyed the insulation. I use a bird bath heater in the tank but that doesn’t work for the hose.
Now I am deciding between a hanging bucket or the PVC pipe system.
We are building a new chicken house this spring and I think that the bucket would be easier.
Looking forward to the warm and dryer season. 🙂
Louise — Sorry you had trouble! A well-fitting lid is definitely a must, and we use Reflectix insulation because any other kind is like chicken candy. My favorite simple heated option is this one, which is what we use ourselves, with an extra layer of reflectix. Good luck!
That looks ideal. 5 gallons inside a covered container. What prevents it from pouring down? What sort of container is below with the nipples on it? I have 12 chickens now and will have up to a total of 20 this summer. I want it to be easy to water them. I want it to be very easy to make and work!
Toby — The CD that comes with our DIY kits includes step by step instructions for making a PVC pipe waterer like the one shown in the third photo above. The nipples are designed to hold back the water until the chickens peck at them. I hope that answers your question!