# What is better Automatic waterer or pail/bucket



## sandy sea (Aug 22, 2009)

Picking up my two la manchas tomorrow.  Wanted to get eveything really.  What is best Auto. waterer or just a pail or bucket?  I also picked up a metal hanging feeder for the hay, good idea?


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## lupinfarm (Aug 22, 2009)

The hanging feeder for hay is a great idea! .. We're using a hay net until I can get some materials to make a wood stand type hay feeder.

Personally, for almost all animals, I prefer buckets/pails rather than automatic waterers. Goats, I've heard prefer clean, fresh water and sometimes the automatic waterers if not drunken from in a while can settle and the water become "unfresh".. at least that is the problem I have always had with the dish type auto-waterers that are used for horses.


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## sandy sea (Aug 22, 2009)

Does anyone use the auto waterers for goats?  I did buy one, what I can always return it.


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## freemotion (Aug 22, 2009)

Even when I was watering 40 horses daily, I preferred buckets to automatic.  With buckets, you can see instantly how much an animal is drinking or not drinking, a first indicator of trouble.   Now I fill only five water pails/tubs daily, and it takes just minutes.  I carry a toilet brush to give a quick scrub daily in summer, less in cool weather.  It is really worth the extra few steps, especially with just a few critters.


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## freemotion (Aug 22, 2009)

lupinfarm said:
			
		

> The hanging feeder for hay is a great idea! .. We're using a hay net until I can get some materials to make a wood stand type hay feeder.
> 
> Personally, for almost all animals, I prefer buckets/pails rather than automatic waterers. Goats, I've heard prefer clean, fresh water and sometimes the automatic waterers if not drunken from in a while can settle and the water become "unfresh".. at least that is the problem I have always had with the dish type auto-waterers that are used for horses.


Yes, that is why I didn't like the waterers for horses, too.

Lupinfarm, I made a wooden hay rack with straight saplings I cut from the woods.  Thicker ones for the four upright corners.  I used scrap 2 x 4's to make it square, but only because I had them.  I also used strips of wood for some of the uprights since I salvaged those, too, but I am gradually replacing them with little saplings, too, as they are stronger.  Someone...grrr....is breaking the thinner wood pieces.  It looks pretty cool, all rustic and log-cabin-y!  It is free-standing and has solved the bonking when all four of my girls eat together, as they can all take a side and can't see each other.  I put it in the center of my communal stall.


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## lupinfarm (Aug 22, 2009)

I saw the plans for the one I want to build in the Hobby Farms magazine and thought "I need goats!" ... I probably have some wood hanging around and will likely have some left over from my buck fence escapade!


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## norcal (Aug 22, 2009)

freemotion said:
			
		

> I made a wooden hay rack with straight saplings I cut from the woods.  Thicker ones for the four upright corners.


Do you have pictures, or know anywhere online that has pics of something similar?   I need to build one.


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## sandy sea (Aug 22, 2009)

Yes pictures would be great!


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## freemotion (Aug 23, 2009)

So demanding!   It is dark and rainy here today, but I will see what I can do...


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## goat lady (Aug 23, 2009)

I love the toilet brush idea.   thanks for saying that.


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## lupinfarm (Aug 23, 2009)

A potato brush also works well


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## trestlecreek (Aug 24, 2009)

I prefer just plain ole 2-5 gallon buckets or my goat water.

For the hay, I have hay bags I use to keep them from eating off the ground. I also have a very large hay feeder that was made by cutting a metal tank in half.
For the grain, I use flower boxes hung from the stall walls. When they are finished eating, I flip the boxes over the other side to keep them clean.


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## lupinfarm (Aug 24, 2009)

For water I am using a 15 gallon mini stock tank, they love it lol and for hay currently am using a bog standard horse hay net, the cheap kind but I am upgrading to a wood hay rack that I am making for them (found plans in a Hobby Farms magazine, also making a larger one for the pony who wastes a load of hay!!)

For minerals I had this 2 dish feeder that screws onto the wall, its small and meant for goats and sheep but I englarged the holes for the screws, put clips in, and clipped it to my goats pen. 

And for feeding, I use a pvc pipe cut in half lengthwise with caps at the ends screwed to a 2x6 at the bottom (makes a small trough) until I can get a collar on Hermione and tie her up for feeding. Right now I put both their food in it and they share out of the same trough.


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## mangus580 (Sep 13, 2009)

Here is my home-made auto watering dish.  I use a pair of 'test' plugs, that install with wingnuts.  One goes in the end where they drink from, while I remove the top one to fill, then the top is replaced and bottom removed.  since this picture was taken, I have cut down the 'feed' end a little, so they have easier access to the water.  It holds roughly 4 gallons.  I keep a few gallon jugs full of water in their barn.  When I finish milking in the morning I top it off.  They go through about 1-1.5 gallons a day on average.


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## kimmyh (Sep 13, 2009)

I use automatic horse waterers in every pen I can. Where I don't have pvc run, I use the clamp on the side of a container type of automatic waterer. Each week the unit is scrubbed out, so far, so good. In the back buck pens where I don't have a hose bib handy, and way too many pens for a long hose, I use buckets.


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