6 Best Small Water Tanks For Chicken Coop Water Supply That Keep Water Clean
Discover the 6 best small water tanks for your coop. These systems are designed to prevent contamination, reduce waste, and keep your flock’s water fresh.
You’ve seen it a hundred times: a standard chicken waterer filled with dirt, shavings, and chicken droppings just hours after you cleaned it. It’s one of the most frustrating parts of raising chickens. The right water tank isn’t just a convenience; it’s a critical tool for keeping your flock healthy and saving you from the daily chore of scrubbing a filthy water dish.
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Why Clean Water Tanks Are Crucial for Flock Health
Dirty water is the fastest way to spread sickness in a flock. Chickens are not delicate, but standing water contaminated with feces is a breeding ground for harmful bacteria and parasites like coccidia. An open water source is a magnet for contamination.
A good, enclosed water tank solves this problem at its source. By keeping the main water reservoir sealed, you prevent bedding, dust, and droppings from ever touching the supply. This drastically reduces the risk of disease transmission and ensures your birds always have access to fresh, clean water.
This isn’t just about the chickens’ health; it’s about your time. Constantly cleaning and refilling a traditional open fount is a relentless task. A sealed system with nipples or cups only needs a quick scrub every week or two, freeing you up to focus on other things. It’s one of the best "work smarter, not harder" upgrades you can make in your coop.
RentACoop 2-Gallon Waterer: Top Nipple System
Nipple-style waterers are a game-changer for cleanliness. The RentACoop model is a perfect example of this simple, effective technology. Chickens peck a small metal pin, which releases a few drops of water directly into their beaks.
The beauty of this system is that the water is never exposed to the coop environment until the moment a chicken drinks it. There is virtually no opportunity for contamination. This 2-gallon size is ideal for a small flock of up to a dozen birds, providing several days’ worth of water without needing a refill.
The only real tradeoff is the learning curve. Most chickens figure it out quickly, but you may need to tap the nipples to show them where the water comes from. Once they learn, it’s a completely mess-free system that keeps the coop floor drier and your flock healthier.
Harris Farms Poultry Drinker for Easy Refills
This Harris Farms Poultry Drinker provides easy-fill watering for up to 100 chickens or game birds. Its top-fill bucket simplifies cleaning and is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
If you prefer a more traditional trough-style drinker but hate the hassle of filling them, the Harris Farms model is a solid compromise. Its key feature is a top-fill design. You simply unscrew a cap on the top and pour water in, rather than having to flip the entire unit over like old-school founts.
This design significantly reduces spills and makes daily top-offs incredibly fast. While the open drinking trough can still collect some dirt and shavings, it’s far less than a simple pan on the ground. The raised design helps keep it cleaner for longer.
Think of this as an upgrade in convenience over basic models. It doesn’t offer the pristine water of a nipple system, but for someone who wants a simple, familiar design that’s just easier to manage, it’s an excellent choice. You’ll still need to clean the trough every couple of days, but filling it is a breeze.
Royal Rooster Waterer: The Best Cup-Style Option
Water cups offer a fantastic middle ground between nipples and open troughs. The Royal Rooster system uses small cups with a valve that a chicken pecks to release water. The cup fills with a small amount of clean water, making it very intuitive for birds to use.
This is a great option if your chickens struggle with nipples or if you’re raising chicks, who take to cups very easily. The cups prevent the widespread contamination seen in open founts, though they can collect a small amount of dust or feed from a chicken’s beak. Still, the water reservoir remains completely sealed and clean.
These systems are highly efficient and reduce water waste. Because only a small amount of water is dispensed at a time, there’s less splashing to dampen the coop bedding. For many hobby farmers, cups provide the perfect balance of cleanliness and ease of use for the flock.
Farm Tuff 8-Gallon Tank for Larger Backyard Flocks
When your flock grows beyond a handful of birds, a small waterer becomes a daily chore. The Farm Tuff 8-gallon tank is built for the hobby farmer with 15, 20, or even more chickens. Its large capacity means you might only need to refill it once a week.
These larger tanks typically come equipped with horizontal nipples or cups, providing all the clean-water benefits of a sealed system on a larger scale. They are often made from thick, UV-resistant, food-grade plastic, so they can be placed inside or outside the coop without breaking down in the sun.
The main consideration here is space and placement. An 8-gallon tank is heavy when full (over 65 pounds), so it needs to be placed on a sturdy platform of cinder blocks or a purpose-built stand. It’s an investment in infrastructure that pays off handsomely in time saved.
Premier 1 Supplies Drinker for Durability
Some equipment just feels built to last, and products from Premier 1 usually fall into that category. Their drinkers are designed for real-world farm use, not just casual backyard keeping. This means thicker plastic, stronger seams, and components that can handle being pecked, bumped, and exposed to the elements.
While they offer various styles, the common thread is durability. If you’re tired of plastic handles snapping or tanks cracking after one winter, this is where you should look. Their designs often incorporate practical features like heavy-duty hanging hardware or wide lids for easy cleaning.
You might pay a bit more for this level of quality, but it’s a classic "buy it once, cry once" scenario. A durable waterer that you don’t have to replace every other year is a smart investment, especially if your coop setup is exposed to harsh weather or particularly rowdy birds.
Little Giant Double Wall Fount for Cold Climates
Winter is the ultimate test for any water system. The Little Giant Double Wall Fount uses a simple but effective vacuum-lock design to provide insulation. This double-wall construction helps keep water from freezing as quickly as it would in a single-wall plastic or metal tank.
This is not a substitute for a heated base in a deep freeze, but it makes a huge difference in moderately cold weather or during the shoulder seasons. It can buy you precious hours before the water turns to ice, ensuring your flock stays hydrated.
The primary tradeoff is that it’s an open-trough system. You are sacrificing the cleanliness of a sealed system for freeze protection. For farmers in cold climates, this is often a necessary compromise during the winter months. Just be prepared for more frequent cleaning to keep the water trough free of debris.
Proper Placement and Cleaning of Your Water Tank
Even the best water tank won’t stay clean if it’s set up improperly. The key is to elevate your waterer. The drinking point—whether it’s a nipple, cup, or trough edge—should be level with the chickens’ backs.
This height encourages them to reach up slightly to drink. More importantly, it prevents them from scratching dirt, bedding, and manure into the water source with their feet. You can hang the waterer or simply place it on a stack of cinder blocks or a small wooden stand.
Cleaning is still necessary, but far less frequent with a good system. Once a week, empty the tank and give it a good scrub with a brush, using a simple solution of diluted white vinegar or a mild dish soap. Rinse it thoroughly before refilling to ensure there’s no residue. This simple routine takes minutes but is essential for preventing biofilm buildup and keeping the water fresh.
Choosing the right water tank is about more than just holding water; it’s about creating a healthy environment for your flock and a more efficient system for yourself. By matching the tank style to your flock size, climate, and personal preference, you can eliminate one of the most tedious daily chores and rest easy knowing your chickens have a constant supply of clean, safe water.
