MuddyFarms
Well-known member
As per @ThunderHill 's request, here are some pictures of my circulating, heated water system. We just put it in this winter, and it has been working well for us so far. This system is in our small insulated, but unheated barn (that has electricity). The other day we found a block of ice forming on the wall down to the floor that was about 6 inches wide, 4 inches thick, and 2 1/2 feet long. That was beneath a cage where the growouts were drinking a ton, and the extra was running down the wall (which we have covered in plastic), and freezing. The water system pipe was right next to the ice block, but the system never froze.
Because of the tight quarters, it was challenging putting in the system. But it was worth it. Right now, I am still using a couple ball-tip water bottles for the young kits to get trained on. We have the water system on 14 cages. We do not have it automated with a float; we haul water down to put in the tote twice a day, instead.
Supplies:
FreezeX bucket kit (used the pump and bucket heater) from Bass Equipment
Thermocube from Bass Equipment
Rubbermaid Tote (the one we used holds at least 5 gallons)
½ inch PVC pipe
½ inch fittings
EDIT TO ADD: Inline water filter with replaceable filters
Pipe Tee, 1/2 Slip x 1/2 Slip x 1/8 FPT PVC from KW Cages
Fount, 1/8" Threaded from KW Cages
Pipe Support Clip for 1/2" PVC Pipe, from KW Cages
I purchased the FreezeX bucket from Bass Equipment, but because I couldn’t fit a bucket above the cages, I used a Rubbermaid tote. We placed the bucket heater on a piece of tile in the tote. We put in two founts per cage, so multiple rabbits could drink at the same time and so if one stopped working there is a backup until we discover the issue. We placed the founts at a height of 8 inches, which seems to be working well for youngsters and adults.
I wanted to keep the option of putting nest boxes in all the cages, so I opted to put the founts toward the end of each 2’x3’ cage. In the 2’x4’ cages, I put the founts in the middle so I could put the nest box in either end of the cage. I made sure my winter wooden nest boxes would fit, since they are bigger than the wire ones I use in the summer.
These founts are intended to be installed with the rod underneath the metal tip, so the rabbits can chew them with their bottom teeth. I found that they need to be installed flat or with a slightly downward angle. If they are tilted up slightly, the water likes to run down away from the rabbit.
The thermocube turns on power to the pump and heater when air temps in the barn reach 35 degrees F and turns it off when air temps get back to 45 degrees F.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Because of the tight quarters, it was challenging putting in the system. But it was worth it. Right now, I am still using a couple ball-tip water bottles for the young kits to get trained on. We have the water system on 14 cages. We do not have it automated with a float; we haul water down to put in the tote twice a day, instead.
Supplies:
FreezeX bucket kit (used the pump and bucket heater) from Bass Equipment
Thermocube from Bass Equipment
Rubbermaid Tote (the one we used holds at least 5 gallons)
½ inch PVC pipe
½ inch fittings
EDIT TO ADD: Inline water filter with replaceable filters
Pipe Tee, 1/2 Slip x 1/2 Slip x 1/8 FPT PVC from KW Cages
Fount, 1/8" Threaded from KW Cages
Pipe Support Clip for 1/2" PVC Pipe, from KW Cages
I purchased the FreezeX bucket from Bass Equipment, but because I couldn’t fit a bucket above the cages, I used a Rubbermaid tote. We placed the bucket heater on a piece of tile in the tote. We put in two founts per cage, so multiple rabbits could drink at the same time and so if one stopped working there is a backup until we discover the issue. We placed the founts at a height of 8 inches, which seems to be working well for youngsters and adults.
I wanted to keep the option of putting nest boxes in all the cages, so I opted to put the founts toward the end of each 2’x3’ cage. In the 2’x4’ cages, I put the founts in the middle so I could put the nest box in either end of the cage. I made sure my winter wooden nest boxes would fit, since they are bigger than the wire ones I use in the summer.
These founts are intended to be installed with the rod underneath the metal tip, so the rabbits can chew them with their bottom teeth. I found that they need to be installed flat or with a slightly downward angle. If they are tilted up slightly, the water likes to run down away from the rabbit.
The thermocube turns on power to the pump and heater when air temps in the barn reach 35 degrees F and turns it off when air temps get back to 45 degrees F.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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