Herefordcross
Well-known member
What's your favorite brand of automatic waterer and why? I know that somebody has some good advice on these things!
Favorite brand of automatic waterer, what's yours?
- Thread starter Herefordcross
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do you mean float valves? I like Hudson valves except for if they get a speck of gravel they leak, otherwise they are indestructable, have good flow and are fairly inexpensive.
Those cheapo box shaped things designed for garden hoses are actually pretty handy to if you don't need large volumes fast, I have a buch of those rigged up in various places, including a cut-off beer keg in the chicken coop.
you have to build a box for most anything else.
Those cheapo box shaped things designed for garden hoses are actually pretty handy to if you don't need large volumes fast, I have a buch of those rigged up in various places, including a cut-off beer keg in the chicken coop.
you have to build a box for most anything else.
Herefordcross
Well-known member
No, I mean the fountains, Ritchie, etc. etc.
go ahead and post them, I am not familiar with these things.
Other then the oncrete bury in the ground freeze proofs (yah, right) we've retired all of the waterers except one ritchie and replaced them with the cheapo little giant deals. With 150 or 300 gallon tanks the fill right isn;t really an issue since all of the cows rarely come up at the same time to drink.
The ritchie may be a real gem, but to me it's still a lump of coal. It has the horizontal valve and I have to clean it out at least once a week, sometimes more. The smallest speck of stuff in it and it leaks. Same problem with the Hudson that I pitched after a week of constantly having to clean it.
dun
The ritchie may be a real gem, but to me it's still a lump of coal. It has the horizontal valve and I have to clean it out at least once a week, sometimes more. The smallest speck of stuff in it and it leaks. Same problem with the Hudson that I pitched after a week of constantly having to clean it.
dun
We have a Ritchie and a Mira-fount. The Ritchie has given us a little more trouble, the float seems to stick once or twice a year and we'll have a flood. Also it has froze up a couple times, but it wasn't installed in the recommended fashion so that could be why. But the Ritchie waterer is close to 30 years old so I guess I can cut it some slack.
The Mira-fount is really nice in my opinion. The cover balls have froze in position several times from the cows slopping, but only when it's really cold. If I put in another one it will probably be another Mira-fount.
The Mira-fount is really nice in my opinion. The cover balls have froze in position several times from the cows slopping, but only when it's really cold. If I put in another one it will probably be another Mira-fount.
Herefordcross":mty1y1hn said:
Hello Herefordcross
Keep in mind that at some point you are going to need parts. Nobody has the track record of Ritchie in this area.
30 years old and still in service and all parts are readily available. Thats pretty amazing.
Dub
endebt
Well-known member
We have used them all and they leak at one time or another. We findly went to Little giants. . We buy by the case . when they leak we put another one in. It is alot cheaper than an of the other ones. Hope this helps and good luck.
We have pulled all the mirafount and replaced with Ritchie.Bez?
Well-known member
Wife on weekends.
Daughters through the week.
Cheap and have the ability to think - they know when to turn on the water and when to turn it off.
Will work in daylight or dark.
Will work before or after supper.
Allows me to sit on the veranda and have a drink and read a book with no worries.
Does a fine job in the winter - NEVER freezes up, never over flows and alawys provides an update on any ice build up.
Bez?
Daughters through the week.
Cheap and have the ability to think - they know when to turn on the water and when to turn it off.
Will work in daylight or dark.
Will work before or after supper.
Allows me to sit on the veranda and have a drink and read a book with no worries.
Does a fine job in the winter - NEVER freezes up, never over flows and alawys provides an update on any ice build up.
Bez?
AngusLimoX
Well-known member
There was a 2 hole SPI brand in our barnyard when we bought the farm. ( Blue plastic kind, I think they have a website ). It has frozen a couple times over the years but only when it went below minus 30 C AND there was a wind. Pail of hot water solved that.
No electric to worry about.
Parts are stocked at our local Co op.
Would buy another in a second.
Inside the barn I have what msscamp has, tanks with heaters.
I would be risking having a personal experience with the Burdizzo if I attempted what Bez does! :lol: :lol:
No electric to worry about.
Parts are stocked at our local Co op.
Would buy another in a second.
Inside the barn I have what msscamp has, tanks with heaters.
I would be risking having a personal experience with the Burdizzo if I attempted what Bez does! :lol: :lol:
