Chicken Waterer

We like having chickens but we also like to travel so we needed a way to leave them plenty of water that they couldn't tip over.  Chickens will find a way to mess up nearly everything you try to do right so don't think a big bowl of water will last all weekend.  They'll wade in it then knock it over about an hour after you leave.  However, they haven't messed up the waterer I made yet!  I'm making a second one to put in a pen with a hen who is molting.

Here's what a chicken nozzle looks like in case you're not familiar...

Now...

*You'll need a bucket.  (We used a 5 gallon bucket for the big pen but I'm using a 2 gallon today for the little pen I'm making.)
*"chicken nozzle" (You can order these pretty cheap online.)
*5/16 drill bit
*7/16 nut driver
*thread seal tape
*drill

First, drill a 5/16 hole in the bottom of your bucket.  I'm only putting one nozzle on this bucket but we used three on our big bucket.  So, drill as many holes as you want nozzles (spacing them out, of course).

Next, wrap the nozzle threads in thread seal tape.  This helps create a watertight seal.

Use the 7/16 nut driver to drive the nozzle into the bucket.  Make sure you are putting the threads inside the bucket.  You wouldn't want to do it upside down!

Here's the finished product...

Now, just hang the bucket in your chicken pen and fill it with water.  They can't wade in this water OR tip it over.  Some people say you can freeze a water bottle and drop it in the bucket during the summer to keep the water cool.  I never did.  It didn't seem to get that warm.
You want to hang the bucket at a height where the chickens don't have to squat.  Hang it so they can slightly extend their necks to drink.  Make sure they can all reach it if you have different breeds!

When I first made one I wondered how to show them where the water was since they were used to a bowl.  I read online and most people said to just take away their water bowl and they will figure it out.  Well, they did!  Just monitor your flock to make sure they all figure it out.