Auto water

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Tbrake

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Oklahoma
I'm looking to put in a fence line auto water this summer in one of my dry lots. I get very tired of filling up tanks. Wanting some recommendations on which I want to use. I have seen the ones with the bule balls and also some that have a plastic flap that flips down over the hole. I haven't been around either kind. Wanting something that is reliable and durable, as I use this lot for bulls often. Open to other suggestions aswell. I live in se Kansas, so it doesn't usually get extremely cold for extended periods. Thanks for your help
 
I put in two Ritchies about 3 years ago. I love them. They have never froze up or gave any problems. I also have a Jug brand waterer. Its ok but it seems like I always have to adjust the water level on it to keep it from over filling. And it has frozen up on me before.
 
pricefarm":387tq66e said:
I put in two Ritchies about 3 years ago. I love them. They have never froze up or gave any problems. I also have a Jug brand waterer. Its ok but it seems like I always have to adjust the water level on it to keep it from over filling. And it has frozen up on me before.

Have to agree. Put a Ritchie in last fall and wish I had done it 15 years ago.
 
How many head of cattle will one of the waters handle. Mine all come to the water trough at one time and can drink faster than the valve can keep up.
 
We have four, 4 ball mira fount , and one 2 ball, no problems at all. I bought part of them used so they are pretty old now. Here you often see them in now crop fields. Can be pretty cheap to get out of someones way.
 
my neighbor bought like 10 of those mira founts for 30 bucks each.! used of course but all working.


I put in cobbett waterers as it gets pretty cold here and I've seen a lot of ritchies and mira founts freeze up during extended cold times.
 
I use three mira fount two ball waters and a behlen four ball. An extended cold spell I have had the balls freeze on each of them when there is no stock with access to them. I have had none of them freeze with as little as a couple of head on them. You get some freezing rain or sleet and the balls may freeze to the housing, but break it loose and they have water. It will not freeze on the inside. They all work good. The install is a concrete pad big enough for the front feet to get up on, about four inches thick. A hole in the middle of the pad allows about a twelve inch corrugated plastic pipe to be flush at the top and extend to the bottom of the hole. The plumbing comes in the side of the hole. Works good.
 
We have a Ritchie at the barnyard but had a well drilled in one of the pastures, the water shuts on/off into a stock tank with a float. When the temps get around freezing we keep a portable heater inside the well house, wrap any exposed outside pipe with a heating element and plug in a stock tank de-icer. Low maintenance and very durable.
 

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