Pigs can grow very large and are extremely strong for their size. Pig watering systems need to hold up to pushing and prodding by swine without destroying them.
Water Troughs
Things You'll Need
Concrete water trough
Geogrid
Rocks
Place a concrete water trough next to a fence where you can add water from a garden hose to it. Place geogrid in front of the trough the same width as the trough is. Add rocks into the raised squares of the geogrid, which is a geosynthetic material that allows excess water from the trough to drain through the rocks and back into the soil so the area around the trough doesn't become muddy.
Tips
- Trough water systems only allow pigs that are tall enough to use them. If you have piglets, you need an additional water source for them while they are growing.
- A concrete trough is the most expensive investment for a pig waterer, but it lasts for many years without the need for any maintenance.
- Concrete troughs are heavy and usually are delivered to homes and put in place by a forklift.
- Geogrid is available at home improvement centers.
- Trough water systems only allow pigs that are tall enough to use them. If you have piglets, you need an additional water source for them while they are growing.
55-Gallon Drums
Things You'll Need
55-gallon plastic drum
Dish soap
Water
Drill
Hog pressure waterer with cup
If you are making a hog waterer from a used 55-gallon plastic drum, remove the lid and clean it thoroughly with dish soap and water. Rinse the barrel until the water runs clear.
Place your barrel in your pigpen next to a fence. Measure the diameter of the pipe protruding from the rear of your hog pressure waterer. Measure from the bottom of the cup to the height of the tube and drill a hole the same size as the diameter and the same height on the plastic drum.
Insert the rear pipe and hold the waterer next to the drum. Insert the two screws through the two holes on each side of the water cup and drill them into the barrel.
Drill two 1/2-inch holes about an inch from the top of the drum on the side facing the fence, insert baling wire and tie the drum to the fence.
PVC Pipe
Things You'll Need
8-inch diameter PVC duct pipe (5 feet long)
Drill
1 1/4-inch hole saw
1-inch pig nipple waterer
Plumber's putty
PVC duct pipe cap
PVC cleaner
PVC glue
Baling wire
Attach a 1 1/4-inch hole saw to a drill. This is the type of round blade with teeth used to cut doorknob holes in doors. Drill a hole about 6 inches from one end of the 8-inch diameter PVC duct pipe. This will be the bottom of the pipe.
Insert a 1-inch pig nipple waterer into the hole and turn it clockwise until it is tight and the metal round half of the nipple faces down to the bottom of the pipe. The circular metal part of the nipple faces upward.
Place plumber's putty around the area where the metal nipple meets the PVC pipe on both the exterior and interior of the pipe.
Clean the outside bottom of the pipe and the inside of the PVC cap with PVC cleaner. Coat the same two areas with PVC glue and twist the cap on the bottom of the pipe.
Allow about 15 minutes for the glue to cure. Place the waterer next to a fence. Wrap baling wire around the waterer near the top, middle and bottom and twist it together at the rear, then attach it to the fence.
References
Writer Bio
Mary Lougee has been writing for over 10 years. She holds a Bachelor's Degree with a major in Management and a double minor in accounting and computer science. She loves writing about careers for busy families as well as family oriented planning, meals and activities for all ages.
