Before I built this chicken coop I spent probably six months researching different ways and methods. I looked at insulating, chicken doors, various roof systems, as well as movable and in movable systems. As part of my research I looked it all kinds of various ways to feed and water your chickens in one-way kept coming up.

Watering nipples seem to be an efficient way of getting very clean water to my chickens. As small little pullets, it didn’t seem possible they would be able to use the nipples all very well. So, while they were small I chose to use a small little trough that they could scoop water out of. This worked for a very short while as it quickly became mired in sand and dirt, chicken feet and chicken poop. I wasn’t sure that it was the healthiest sort of situation for them despite me changing the water multiple times per day.

We’ve had our little chickens for about four weeks now and they have become part of our family. We love caring for our little ladies, giving them treats and loving on each. They all have their own little personalities.

Today I felt like the ladies were old enough that they may be able to use the nipples and so I fully assembled the various components, which I had last month acquired.

These are the items that I purchased:

• 7 – 8” x ½” galvanized pipe (threaded at each end)
• 6 – ½” T’s
• 1 – ½” end cap
• 30 – chicken nipples from Alibaba.com
• 1 – quick release hose attachment
• 3’ of 1-1/4” clear plastic plumbing line
• 3 hose clamps 1”-1-1/2”
• 1 – 5 gallon jerry can
• 2 – ¾” x 8” galvanized pipe
• 2 – ¾” caps
• 2 – ¾” wall mounts for ¾” pipe

This all cost me about $50.00

The chickens absolutely love this system. There are plenty of nipples so there’s very few times where they actually have to share. It’s turned out to be a really great system and the thing that I love about it most is that it is very serviceable.

I absolutely love being more self-sufficient. I love it that my children are exposed to raising animals Learning about what it takes to care for them, And reaping the benefits of all that they bring. It’s been an amazing experience for me to learn out to take care of my family in ways that extend beyond just providing a paycheck. This truly is a marathon effort it; is certainly no sprint.

I encourage you to take one step toward your own self-sufficiency as the feeling of true self-sufficiency is amazingly liberating.