FINCHforum

Anyone ever use something like this? My birds all drink from Lixit bottles so they should adapt.

This Edstrom Automatic Water System Kit comes with everything you need to put your pet on an automatic water system. Easy to Use. Easy to Install, fits most cages. Additional valves can be purchased separately.
This Edstrom Automatic Water System Kit comes with a one gallon bucket & bucket valve, one standard water valve & clip, one tee, one drain valve, one tubing standoff & 10 feet of flex tubing.
The Edstrom Automatic Water System Kit is Easy to Use, Easy to Install & fits most cages. Additional valves can be purchased separately. Everything you need to put your pet on an automatic water system.

I have used a system that I built much like this one for my poultry. The concept is great but be prepared to replace the flex tubing after a while as you won't be able to sterilize it thoroughly while it is in place. If one of the valves gets stuck because of dust/seed/whatever, be prepared for a flood (as much as is left in the bucket). Constant monitoring and maintenance is still a must in these "easy" systems.

How do you plan to use the watering? Do you fill the bucket with filtered water or attach tubing to a tap?

A friend has an automatic watering system. I asked her if it was Edstrom, and she wasn't sure but said it is a system made for rabbits. I believe the Edstrom system is gravity-driven. The bucket is hung higher than the drinking nozzles. It is then filled (from a hose or whatever), the valve is turned, and water flows through the tubing to each nozzle.

When my friend converted, she still placed a water bowl in each cage. Once she had observed each bird in the cage using the nozzle, she would remove the bowl from that cage. It takes a little time and lots of observation to get it started, and every new bird has to learn the system, but for those with lots of cages, it is an incredible timesaver.

All of these systems (Edstrom, Little Giant, Plasson) are considered low pressure meaning that the bucket becomes a reservoir for the gravity flow. You are absolutely right, Sally. The bucket must be above the system, usually by at least three feet. You can either have it be manual, meaning you fill the bucket manually, or automatic with a hose from a tap into the bucket at a valve that turns off once the water reaches a fixed depth in the bucket. It usually works with a float, much like a toilet tank valve. You can also use a pressure regulator directly from a tap and avoid the bucket reservoir altogether.

I used to raise unusual chickens (blue orpingtons) and grew my birds to a particular size in cages to see what colors and quality they would be at their first molt (blue, black or splash) so I had them in stacked cages, much like the breeder cages used in finch production, with an automatic system and nipples with little cups that caught excess water. Everything would be fabulous and very time saving until one of the nipples became slightly clogged in the open position and then the tray under the birds would fill with water. You really don't want to pull out a tray with a chicken poo-water slurry. I can't imagine it would be as bad with the finch sized nipples but if it is an automatic system, it could still get pretty messy. I have learned from experience that if one of those nipples clogs, then you need to take the whole system down and do a thorough cleaning of all nozzles and drip lines to avoid future problems.

As I said, with lots of monitoring and maintenance, this is a great system.

The idea of a clogged nozzle is scary. I think I'll just stick with bottles.