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Month: September 2022

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Making an Easy DIY Chicken Watering Barrel

Chickens Drinking Water Art

Anyone with backyard chickens knows that feeding and watering them can be a daily chore. This is especially true in the summer when it’s hot and dry and the chickens are drinking more water to stay cool. One way to make things easier is to build a DIY chicken watering barrel. With just a few supplies and some simple instructions, you can have your very own chicken watering barrel up and running in no time!

Watch how we made our own DIY chicken watering barrel

Watering Barrel Container Choices

Containers should be food-grade, and most sizes will work!

First, you’ll need to find a food grade container. A good option is a used pickle barrel or similar type of container. For a few chickens, a 5-7 gallon bucket works great. You can usually find these at your local hardware or feed store, or online. I like to use a 30-gallon drum, but you can use anything that will hold enough water for your chickens. Be sure to choose “food grade” so chemicals in the barrel don’t leech into the water.

Choosing Your (watering) Nipples

Next, you’ll need to buy the watering nipples. There are many different types available, but we recommend getting ones that are made specifically for chickens. You’ll need roughly one nipple for every 3-4 chickens in your flock.

Drill Holes and Install the Watering Nipples

Next, drill holes in the container and install the nipples. Be sure to place the holes about 6 inches from the bottom of the container so that the chickens can reach the water easily. This is the trickiest part, but as long as you drill the holes in the right place and put the nipples in correctly, you’ll be fine. We found that using a drill powered installation tool (like the one that comes with this kit)made the insertion very easy. TIP 1: Elevate your barrel by placing on a couple of concrete blocks so you can install the nipples lower on the barrel.

Fill it to win it!

That’s it! You’ve now made your very own chicken watering barrel. This DIY project is easy to do and only requires a few supplies. Your chickens will appreciate having an easy way to get water, and you’ll appreciate not having to fill their water dishes as often. Thanks for following along!

Categories
Garden Pests

How to Get Rid of Hornworm Caterpillars Organically

Hornworm Caterpillar
Hornworm caterpillar, with it's distinctive "horn" devouring a tomato plant

Anyone who’s ever had a garden knows that pests can be a big problem. One of the most destructive—and hardest to get rid of—pests is the caterpillar of the tobacco hornworm moth. These voracious eaters can quickly strip a plant of all its leaves, leaving it vulnerable to disease and death. Luckily, there are some organic methods you can use to get rid of them.

Pick Them Off By Hand

This is probably the most time-consuming method, but it’s also the most effective. Check your plants daily for caterpillars and pick them off by hand, dropping them into a bucket of soapy water. If you’re squeamish about touching them, you can wear gloves or use tongs.

Attract Natural Predators

A bird snatches a juicy caterpillar. One less caterpillar to eat your tomato plant!

There are a few different predators you can attract to your garden to help control the caterpillar population. One is the braconid wasp, whose larvae parasitize caterpillars. Another is the trichogramma wasp, which lays its eggs inside caterpillar eggs, preventing them from hatching. You can buy these wasps at most garden stores, or you can attract them by planting certain flowers in your garden, such as dill, fennel, or cilantro.

Organic Pesticide Options

Make a Homemade Insecticide

If you’re looking for a DIY solution, you can make your own organic insecticide with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Start by boiling 1 cup of water and adding 3 tablespoons of dish soap (any kind will do). Then add 1 tablespoon of Tabasco sauce (or any other hot sauce) and let the mixture cool. Pour it into a spray bottle and apply it to your plants every few days, or after it rains. The dish soap will degrade quickly in sunlight, so make sure to reapply it as needed.

Buy Ready-to-Use

If you don’t want to use chemicals, there are a few organic pesticides that will kill hornworms on contact. Neem oil is one option; just mix it with water (if a concentrate) and spray it on your plants. You can also use Bacillus thuringiensis (BT), a bacteria that’s fatal to caterpillars but harmless to humans and animals. Just mix it with water (if a concentrate) and spray it on your infected plants.

In Conclusion

Hornworms are destructive pests that can be difficult to get rid of, but it’s definitely possible to control them using organic methods. Try picking them off by hand, using BT, Neem Oil, Homemade spray, or introducing beneficial insects around your plants. With a little patience and perseverance, you’ll soon have hornworm-free gardens!