Written by Savannah Schell | Published 8:11 PM, May 21, 2021

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In order to get sufficient nutrition and moisture for chickens, ducks, turkeys and quails, you need a high-quality chicken drinker. These drinking fountains come in many styles, but they all have the same purpose: to provide plenty of fresh and clean water for the feather friends in your home.

Choosing a chicken drinker may seem like a simple decision, but there are actually many considerations to weigh. Before you buy, learn about some of the most important features to look for when buying a chicken drinker, and discover some of the best drinkers on the market for your flock.

There are several different styles of chicken drinkers, each of which has its advantages and benefits. Some types are more suitable for your chicken coop or farm setting than others.

A gravity chicken drinker, also called a standard drinker, has a water tank and a plate or sink. When the tank is empty, these ships use gravity to pull the water down, and the float at the bottom measures the water to the edge at a steady speed to prevent overflow. Although the sink needs to be cleaned frequently, the water in the sink is still clean and fresh. For convenience, the tank can usually be refilled from the top or bottom. The gravity water feeder is made of plastic or metal and can be hung or placed on the ground.

Although many chicken drinkers are designed to be located on the ground, suspended chicken drinkers can lift the tank and prevent chickens from kicking dirt, food, manure or litter into the sink, and will not be knocked over in the chicken house. Suspended drinking fountains are suspended by sturdy straps or handles, and are made of metal or heavy-duty plastic. These containers are equipped with troughs, cups or pacifiers and are made of plastic or metal.

Many chicken drinkers are designed with sinks for poultry to drink. However, one problem with these tanks is that chickens inevitably put dirty beaks in the water to contaminate the water. Nipple attachments are a more hygienic option, which dispenses water when chickens use their beaks to push the switch. These accessories prevent pollution, but may provide a learning curve for birds that are not accustomed to drinking from such drinking fountains.

The cup, like a pacifier, provides the chicken with cleaner water than the water obtained from the sink. These cups are essentially miniature sinks, and they are easy to use for chickens because once the birds touch the cup, the water will be dispensed. Although the water dispensed into the cup is clean, it is still important to change the water once a week to prevent it from becoming stagnant.

The automatic chicken drinker is connected to a water source, such as a hose, and refilled when the water runs out. The advantage of these models is that you never have to refill the tank, because the entire process is automated. Most automatic models are sold as DIY kits, which include all the supplies and tools needed to connect the water dispenser to the water source. Automatic drinking fountains can be equipped with sinks, pacifiers or cups, and they come in a variety of sizes and materials.

Although it is easy to assume that all chicken drinkers provide similar performance, there are many factors that affect their function. Read on to learn about the most important features to consider when choosing the best chicken drinker for your yard or farm.

The chicken drinker is made of plastic or metal.

Before buying a chicken drinker, the most important number you need to know is the size of your flock. This number has a lot to do with the optimal tank capacity of the drinking fountain.

The tank capacity ranges from 1 to 8 gallons. On average, each chicken drinks about 16 ounces of water per day. Therefore, a 1-gallon chicken drinker can provide eight chickens with the water they need in a day. Before buying a drinker for your flock, consider how often you want to add water and choose your tank capacity accordingly.

Although it sounds strange, the behavior of the sheep also has a lot to do with the size and type of drinking fountain that best suits your property. Although larger tanks can accommodate larger flocks, you should still buy a drinker for every 8 to 10 chickens. Some hens may take action on the territory and prevent other hens from entering the water source, and having multiple drinking fountains ensures that all your birds can enter.

Many factors affect the ease of use of the chicken drinker, including the quality of the structure and whether it needs to be assembled.

Now that you have learned more about the chicken drinker, it's time to start shopping. The following are the top choices for the best chicken drinkers for your flock. The recommendations for choosing these best chicken drinkers are due to their quality structure, capacity, ease of use and other useful features. Whether you are looking for plastic or metal containers, or hanging or sitting on the ground, here is sure to provide a good solution for your chicken.

This poultry drinker from Harris Farms is made of heavy-duty galvanized steel, which is very strong and can be placed on the floor of the chicken house. Its metal handle makes the drinking fountain easy to carry and can also prevent habitation. The gravity feeding design of the ship ensures that chickens and other poultry have access to fresh water throughout the day.

Harris Farms drinkers are available in 2-gallon or 5-gallon models, and the model that suits your needs depends on the size of your brooder. The manufacturer recommends the 2-gallon version for flocks of up to 51 poultry or pheasants, and the 5-gallon version for flocks of up to 80 birds. Pair this poultry drinker with the Harris Farms heated poultry drinker base to prevent the water from freezing in colder months.

RentACoop's BPA-free plastic chicken drinker has four horizontal pacifiers, which can dispense water without getting dirty. The nipple is located on both sides of the reservoir, which means it can be hidden in the corner for four birds to use at the same time. Its 2 gallon capacity is very suitable for small and medium-sized chickens. One of the most convenient features of this model is that it can be hung or placed directly on the ground. The other thoughtful detail that makes RentACoop’s product worth considering is that it comes with a non-habiting cone,

Prevent hens from sitting on top of the reservoir. Although the lid of the drinker can be completely removed for cleaning or refilling, by inserting a garden hose into the covered opening in the lid, the flock of tenders can be quickly refilled.

With a capacity of 5 quarts and an affordable price, this plastic poultry drinker is an excellent choice for providing water to your brood without spending too much. Harris Farms' gravity feeding model can be hung or placed on the ground with its sturdy handle, and it has a reservoir that can automatically refill water into the sink. The water is released slowly to prevent overflow, and can be observed through the translucent plastic material, so that the amount of water in the drinking fountain can be easily grasped.

Despite its plastic construction, this drinker is compatible with the brand's heated poultry drinker base and is useful in cold climates.

The Little Giant poultry drinker has a capacity of 1 gallon, which is ideal for small farms and homesteads with only a few chickens. A container of this size should provide enough water for four chickens for two days.

The reservoir is made of durable transparent polyethylene, so the water level is always visible. Its gravity water distribution system ensures that fresh water is always provided to the chickens, and its shell design prevents cracking and withstands extremely high and low temperatures.

One of the only real shortcomings of Little Giant is its flat roof-buyers may need to take measures to prevent hens from roosting on top of the reservoir.

This gravity-fed chicken drinker from Harris Farms has a capacity of 6.25 gallons, which, according to the manufacturer, is enough to hold 100 chickens. The float in the base distributes the water to the trough, providing fresh water for the entire day of your brood.

This poultry drinker is made of BPA-free plastic and has a detachable lid that makes refilling water a breeze. Its sturdy handle makes it easy for users to transport the water tank, and is used in conjunction with the dome cover to prevent hens from roosting.

Use this automatic poultry drinker from Little Giant to provide a steady stream of fresh cold water for your brooders. The non-rusting brass fountain pole can be connected to any standard half-inch pipe and provides a powerful water flow, and works safely at flow rates of 20 to 50 pounds per square inch (PSI).

The heavy-duty plastic tank of the fountain has a diameter of 6.5 inches and a depth of 2.5 inches, which can hold 2 dewatering items at a time. Those who plan to connect the poultry fountain to a garden hose instead of a pipe will also need to purchase a garden hose coupling adapter (sold separately).

The heated chicken drinker is a must for cold-weather poultry care-it prevents the drinking water of the chickens from freezing. This model from Farm Innovators has a capacity of 3 gallons and can be used at temperatures as low as 0 degrees Fahrenheit. More importantly, it is very energy-efficient, using only 100 watts of power, and only heats water when its thermostatic control considers it necessary. To add water to the fountain, just turn it over and insert the hose into the base-no need to disassemble the water fountain.

The All Seasons poultry drinker can be placed flat on the ground or hung from its handle, which also prevents chickens from roosting. It is 16 inches high and 12 inches wide.

RentACoop's water cup allows chicken farmers to design their own automatic or gravity-fed poultry watering system. These cups can be drilled into barrels or buckets, and can even be paired with half-inch PVC pipes connected to water sources.

The advantage of RentACoop cups is that they are easier for hens to use than nipples, and they are wide enough for birds to dip their lobes into the water while drinking. With the built-in valve, keeping the cup at least half full, poultry will always have easy access to fresh water.

RentACoop's chicken water cups are sold in packs of two, four or six to suit different size flocks and do not contain BPA.

Chickens who are not used to drinking from their nipples may prefer to sip from the four easy-to-use cups on RentACoop's 5-gallon plastic drinker. The bird has no labels to push, and the cup is always half full.

In order to adapt to various designs of chicken coops, this chicken drinker can be used in a center or corner configuration. There are cups on two parallel sides or two adjacent sides of the drinker. The conical cap on the container prevents perching.

Although this container is equipped with a handle, it is not a good idea to hang it on the handle—a drinker filled with water weighs more than 40 pounds, and the handle cannot support the weight. Those who want to suspend this poultry drinker should consider buying a RentACoop lanyard (sold separately).

Chickens rely on humans to obtain a stable supply of clean water, so it is very important to choose a reliable chicken drinker with a capacity suitable for the number of chickens you have. For most chicken farmers, Harris Farms double-wall poultry drinkers are the first choice to ensure that a small group of chickens get fresh water. For owners who have a water source nearby, consider adding the Little Giant Game Bird automatic poultry drinker to a single tap or a drain tap.

These recommendations for the best chicken drinkers come in various shapes, sizes and designs, so buyers can choose the product that best suits their feathered chicken flock. Several chicken drinkers work by gravity, others use vacuum seals, and some work automatically on taps. We also include a product that uses nipples to allow chickens to peck and drink water.

Keeping chicken drinkers clean is a challenge for most owners, so it is important to choose a drinker that is easy to clean or designed without a tray that needs to be cleaned frequently. If you prefer, a suspended nipple or waterer can be used for this purpose. We have also reviewed several products made of metal and plastic, which have different uses as needed. Finally, our favorite options include chicken drinkers of different capacities that are effective for small or large flocks.

Although you now know more about chicken drinkers, you may still have questions about how to use them. Here are the answers to some of the most common questions about how to choose and maintain chicken drinkers for your flock.

As a general rule, it is a good idea to use one drinker for every 8 to 10 chickens. Each chicken drinks about 16 ounces of water per day, so your needs will depend on how many chickens you have and how often you plan to change the water.

Drinkers are best placed in low-traffic areas outside the chicken coop where there is no direct sunlight.

Ideally, the water collection point-cup, nipple or sink-should be placed at the height of the chicken's shoulders.

How and how often you clean the chicken drinker depends on the type you have. In general, sinks and cups should be cleaned with soap and water once a week, and reservoirs should be cleaned every 3 to 6 months.

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