# galvanized chicken waterer



## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

My galvanized chicken waterer leaves a shiny film on the water surface. I see that the inside is rusting. Is there something that I can put on the rusted spots to protect them and stop it from making the shiny film?


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

You can paint it with a good enamel or epoxy paint.
I'd spray it first with a "rusty metal" primer.

The "oil" could be from the chicken's feed


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## [email protected] (Sep 16, 2009)

I used to put apple cider vinegar into the water. about a cupful to 5 gal.
when the waterer finally rusts through, and it will, it will get pin holes.. I patched mine with JB Weld.
when you store the waterer for any length of time.
remove the top from the bottom. that should slow down the rusting ..


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## timMe (Mar 28, 2018)

My advice would be to trash it and get the plastic type, the octagon shape not the round, and oil the seal as needed, there far better than the old school galvanized.. Otherwise follow the above suggestions..


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

You can also make one that works great for free. Get a free 5 gal bucket and a free 5 gallon water jug like is used in offices. Cut some 2 to 3" holes---in the sides keeping the Bottom of the holes 2" above the bottom. Now drill a 1/4" hole 1 1/2" down the neck---add water(don't have to fill it up)--replace cap(if you got it---if not it will still work but some will pour out the neck as you are quickly turning it over) turn it up side down into the modified 5 gallon bucket. You got a auto waterer!


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## shawnlee (Apr 13, 2010)

I like chicken nipples...….better clarify that, it just sounds bad, chicken watering nipples.....


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)




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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

shawnlee said:


> I like chicken nipples...….better clarify that, it just sounds bad, chicken watering nipples.....


I've gathered the parts for a nipple waterer. I just need to decide on what to use for the reservoir and how to elevate it.


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## aart (Oct 20, 2012)

shawnlee said:


> I like chicken nipples...….better clarify that, it just sounds bad, chicken watering nipples.....


Me too...horizontal ones are better for several reasons, but especially for heating in winter.
There's an aquarium heater in there.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

What size holes did you drill? Do you seal the threads with tape?


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## shawnlee (Apr 13, 2010)




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## Northof49 (Mar 3, 2018)

You can use cold liquid galvanizing compound. Welding shops use this quite often. The better is a thick brush on but is also available in a spray can. Sold at Homedepot.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Ol...y-Cold-Galvanizing-Compound-7585838/100142963


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

5 gallon bucket with the nips, plastic chicken waterer, black feed pail, heated dog pans. Use what you got, smokem' if you gotem...


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## aart (Oct 20, 2012)

fishhead said:


> What size holes did you drill? Do you seal the threads with tape?


I've used 11/32" but prefer smaller. Hole must be _clean_, drill 'boogers' may impede the seal between threads and hole.
There should be no need for tape but it might help if needed.
You don't need to crank it all the way down like in that video above, in fact the vessel may eventually crack if you do.
I've never needed to use a wrench but most all of mine are in thinner walled vessels.

I've used 5/16 on HDPE(#2 - typical 5 gallon bucket, milk/juice jugs) and PETE(#1 - common food jars) with great success.
You _don't_ screw them in all the way, just until it's finger tight...test with water and tighten one turn further if you have a leak. This gives some room for error and further tightening down the road in case of leaks. 

This shows that you don't need to thread it all the way in, I like mine out far enough to hang on a wire crate.


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## dyrne (Feb 22, 2015)

I've found hanging buckets to be pretty annoying with those nipple inserts... partially this is the fault of the goats that seem able to squeeze into any tiny chicken size door I setup for the coop and wreck anything in their path but chickens tend to perch on the buckets also and any lid I used was either a pain to remove or not secure enough. My plan this month is to move the feed and water to 4 inch pvc pipes I can fill from outside the coop and use sealed pipe inside for the water with only those exposed to the chickens and all their nastiness. I think that the best solution.


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

I really like the large galvanized water founts. I raise mine on a turned over oil pan and in winter i add the water fount heater looks just like an oil pan type. They are easy to clean i use a little dish soap and clean toilet brush just for the job. If you use a plastic oil pan or large flower pot on top the waterer it keeps chickens from roosting on top. The rubber washer is replaceable I have some that are 10 plus years old.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I finally got the waterer up and running. I couldn't get the hole size to match my nipples so I wrapped the heck out of them with white teflon tape. Some dripped for a while but have now stopped.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

fishhead said:


> I finally got the waterer up and running.


What will you use when it's freezing?


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## aart (Oct 20, 2012)

Bearfootfarm said:


> What will you use when it's freezing?


I'd bet those CX will be gone by freeze time.


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

I use nipple watereres as well. In the winter I drop in an aquarium heater.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

In the winter the chickens will be in my freezer. These are meat chickens.

Some days it seems like the waterers drip so that 4 gallons of water only last a day. I'm thinking they might be too cheap and poor quality.


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## aart (Oct 20, 2012)

fishhead said:


> Some days it seems like the waterers drip so that 4 gallons of water only last a day. I'm thinking they might be too cheap and poor quality.


Well, good to refresh water daily anyway, but yeah....that dripping is the main reason I won't use them.
The way the pin/trigger seals (simple gravity) on the VN's allows any tiny piece of grit in the water column to keep them from sealing.
Unless it's the installation threads that are leaking, can be hard to get those to seal in PVC unless you drill and tap it....and not sure even that will work with VN's.

If dripping is only intermittent and not constant, it's probably the pin/trigger seal.


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