[Womble]

I just thought I’d put up a few photos I took of our homemade chicken waterer, MK2. Now I know this is nothing particularly revolutionary, but given that the equivalent commercial product can cost anything up to £40, I thought I’d share just in case it’s helpful to somebody.

The MK2 is, funnily enough, the successor to the MK1, which was really just a 5 litre bottle with an 8mm hole drilled in the bottom! The bottle  sits in a plastic tray, and due to the effect of a vacuum building in the bottle as the water drains out, the water level magically stays just below the rim of the tray, and tops up automatically as the hens drink:



So, although the MK1 was meant to be a temporary measure until I sorted out something better, in the end it lasted for almost a year, until the MK2 was born!



This was made very easily from an old home-brew pressure barrel, which was being thrown out because the CO2 injector on the lid was broken.

To change it into a chicken waterer, I first removed the CO2 injector, and sealed the hole in the lid with a nut, some penny washers, and a tap washer, and then replaced the original wire handle, which was also broken:



I then unscrewed the tap on the bottom, and fitted a reducing bush from a hose kit into the hole (it’s a standard pipe-thread). I drilled a hole in a copper plumbing plug to act as the water outlet, and then fitted this through a small plastic tub with a hole drilled in it, sealing with rubber washers both sides, before in turn screwing the whole assembly into the barrel.



And there you have it!  A deluxe poultry drinker, for half an hour’s work, and at a cost of less than a pound.

This principle can be followed with any container rigid enough not to collapse under the slight vacuum produced. The small tub is easily cleaned out by running a finger around the inside to dislodge any dirt, followed by pouring a litre of water into it from a height to flush out any debris. Best of all, it only needs to be filled up every couple of weeks, and because it’s black, there aren’t the same issues with algae growing inside as there are with many commercial versions.

All in all, a perfect bit of wombling!!  

[daniellestocks]

That is fab A* 

[Sandy]

Brillient!!! Do not see home brew kits in the shops like they used to be...we had one of those barrels once and used to take it +home brew, camping that was in the old day's when I did not drink!!!!!!!

[little blue]

very industrious... and lovely hens!

[fizzgigg]

you my friend are a genious  i know what im going to be doing this weekend

[knightquest]

What a great idea! Well done sir.

Ian

[Cobra]

Excellent work a Master Womble  if ever there was one. Oh and thanks for sharing 

Now flee bay and old vac cider keg searching, maybe I can lick them clean before I start 

[PhilBen]

Great Idea and well worth doing

[valr]

genius!

[TheCaptain]

I foresee a spike in kegs prices on Ebay...

[sam.t]

WE ALSO MADE OUR OWN DRINKER BUT MADE FROM A WATER DISPENSER THE ONE`S U GET IN OFFICES ETC . JUST CUT A SMALL NOTCH IN THE NECK AND PLACED IT IN A WOODEN CAGE ONTO A PLASTIC CUP WORKS GRAT CHICKENS LIKE IT BETTER THAN DRINKER

[sheila]

I have just made one from a 4 pint plastic milk bottle. It works perfectly. Why didn't I think of it before? Thanks, you must be a genius womble

[AWP]

Womble what a great and simple idea!!, Iv'e just made one with an old 25l container, a margarine tub & a tank connector, once i managed to get the lid to seal (they all seem to have vented lids on now!!) it worked brilliantly, took about 20 mins and will save hours of filling up, Many thanks, Keep your inventions coming!!

[langdon]

now there's the beauty in smallholding womble just as its suppost
to be, fantastic.
as allready said keep them ideas coming for the rest of us to be inspired.
langdon