What is everyones favorite brand of auto waterer? Something affordable and reliable & can be used by cows , calves & horse. Does anyone know anything about the Brower brand @ Fleetfarm? Is there alot to installing auto waterers?
Auto waterers
- Thread starter Kelly
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In your environment, depending on the type of waterer, I'm assuming you're referring to freeze proofs, it can get to be sort of complicated. For some types they rely on a deep hole under the waterer to provide earth warmed water to prevent freezing, other wypes have a continuous trickle of water. Those that have water running hrough them to prevent freezing requires a pretty good drainage system to keep from having ice problems either in the overflow line or in an area that the animlas can access and slip and fall. We have several different tye of Ritchie waterers, but I really like the Nelson types, mainly because they're easy to clean and they're stainless. The Nelsons require a deep hole, the Ritchies use running water or a ball to protect the water. Even with the ball properly adjusted I've had the water in the reservoir freeze solid. Most companys address the capacity by the number of head to be waterered. I'm sure that works for some, but all of ours tend to wander up for water pretty much at the same time several times a day. That leaves long periods of time for the cold to do it's nasty work.
dun
dun
fellersbarnoneranch
Well-known member
We installed Browers this year. They are same as Pride of the Farm aside from name and color. Though we haven't wintered them yet (wouldn't compare to your winter anyway) they work great so far.
I am also in Minnesota and the last one we put in was a Mira-Fount with the balls. We've had it about 5 years and have never had it freeze, but we did get the electrical heater kit with it. The only problem we've had is sometimes they slop a lot and the ball will freeze shut, but that's usually only when we get the daytime highs below zero. We take the covers off and the balls out in the summer.
We also have a Ritchie without the ball covers and they slop way to much around the waterer and ice really builds up around it. After a while they have a hardtime reaching the water because of the ice, so we have to go out with an axe and chop it off. I don't recall ever seeing the trickle kind used up here in the winter, as I'm guessing they may not work.
We also have a Ritchie without the ball covers and they slop way to much around the waterer and ice really builds up around it. After a while they have a hardtime reaching the water because of the ice, so we have to go out with an axe and chop it off. I don't recall ever seeing the trickle kind used up here in the winter, as I'm guessing they may not work.
ChrisB":3ciiu6n4 said:
The Ritchie above ground trickle type took a pretty good jet of water to keep it free. The half buried cement ones only to a little bit of a trickle to keep them free and working. But with them the water is all below the ground surface line so some heat is provided by the earth. But we only get an occasional below freezing/sub-zero period each winter.
dun
CattleAnnie
Well-known member
We've got a Mirafount that services the four big pens for calving time. The only problem with it is that unless you have a fair amount of animals using it daily it tends to freeze up.
The electric waterers that we use are made by Franklin. To keep them from freezing up in cold weather, we run a length of heat tape down the line. Works like a charm, even in fifty below.
Take care.
The electric waterers that we use are made by Franklin. To keep them from freezing up in cold weather, we run a length of heat tape down the line. Works like a charm, even in fifty below.
Take care.
