Chick feeder - No waste

[DreamStone]

How Do the chicks drink from the bottle?

Think of a gerbil waterer. They peck at the metal nipple which pushes it up and releases a few drops of water. Mine have never dripped or stopped working. Its so nice to only switch out their water every couple days vs couple times a day!

 

[JustOrpsNC]

Great idea.......

 

[silkwormlady]

I really like the feeder in the bowl idea. Lots of feed DOES go on the brooder box, and I'd like to find a way to minimize this. Only good thing about a little on the floor is that it seems to encourage scratch and peck behavior (?)

 

[silkwormlady]

Thank you! Getting hubby started on this right away!

Hi Tmoorie - I am so jealous looking at your pic, holding a young chickie in your hand. How did you coax it in there? Or did you just grab it, it settled into your hand and you got your pic? I want to hold mine, too.

 

[Finnie]

Thanks for this thread!! Last week I read this and immediately made a feeder out of a red Folger's coffee canister and another one out of a little frosting tub. Love that one, cuz it has a clear lid!

Now today I see the water bottle idea and realize... I have spare horizontal water nipples from my adult hen's drinker project... Why am I messing around with this filthy chick drinker?!!!

 

[Finnie]

I want to hold mine, too.

Why don't you? Just pick them up and cuddle them. The more you do it, the more used to you they become. I put a towel on my lap and watch TV with a chick. Each one gets a turn eventually. They snuggle in and sleep while I scratch their necks.

I actually do have two that seem to have gotten to like me since I have been doing this from day one. Those two will voluntarily walk up and step into my hand. The others I have to catch. Then I hold them up to my face and talk reassuringly to them, so they get over the struggle and realize I am A-OK.

You should go for it!

 

[silkwormlady]

Love this idea! How do you hang/attach your waterer? I'll be using cardboard as brooder for first 3 weeks, and not sure how to do that. Thanks!

I am also using a (stove) box for a brooder. Gonna change out my feeder ... try the feeder in a bowl thing first, then the coffee can thing. BUT ... I can't quite visualize what the watering system is. A people water bottle hung upside down with a ???? in the bottom. Hung right side up?

Help! I do want them to have cleaner water, and me to have to give them clean water less frequently. Which brings to mind: Do full grown chickens like the nipple system or do they do better with the water into a bowl waterer?

 

[silkwormlady]

I guess I just don't like to see the initial panic my hand causes. I can hear them screaming "Mean Mean. Get away" Guess I just have to go for it, and then they'll get it: "Ooo. Friendly lady here." Guess I'll just have to get over how panicked they are, too, when I change out their litter. That, or I'll start adding more litter on top of the old?

 

[Finnie]

I guess I just don't like to see the initial panic my hand causes. I can hear them screaming "Mean Mean. Get away" Guess I just have to go for it, and then they'll get it: "Ooo. Friendly lady here." Guess I'll just have to get over how panicked they are, too, when I change out their litter. That, or I'll start adding more litter on top of the old?

Yes, you can put your hand in slowly and keep it in there without moving it, and they will stop panicking and eventually walk around and ignore your hand, and even check it out. So sometimes your hand goes in and causes ruckus, changing things out and grabbing them, and sometimes your hand is calm and does nothing and they can get used to it.

I don't change out my litter. I just add new to the top. How many chicks do you have in there? If I need to do any major overhaul, say there are some nasties I do want to scoop out before I add more litter, I might transfer them all to a small box to wait until I have finished. The more you pick them up and handle them, the more casual they will get about the whole thing. It will be harder to catch them when they get bigger, but by then hopefully they will be used to it, and realize, Oh, it's just You. For bigger feathered chicks, it calms them if you contain their wings with one hand. If you let the wings loose and they start to flap, they might panic again. Then getting the wings back under control calms them back down.

They will like to look you in the eye and get to know your face. I think that really helps them like you. But wear glasses when they get big, because out of curiosity, they will often peck your eye.

 

[Finnie]

. BUT ... I can't quite visualize what the watering system is. A people water bottle hung upside down with a ???? in the bottom. Hung right side up?

Help! I do want them to have cleaner water, and me to have to give them clean water less frequently. Which brings to mind: Do full grown chickens like the nipple system or do they do better with the water into a bowl waterer?

It's a people water bottle hung RIGHT SIDE UP, with a vertical nipple drinker in the bottom. I have horiztal nipple drinkers, which are different, so I will put mine on the side of the bottle near the bottom. It will just depend on which style you buy. Horizontal is nice, because it allows you to set the container down without smashing the nipples.

Full grown chickens do great with nipple drinkers! Mine learned it as soon as I gave it to them. (Lol, there is always a curious one in the bunch who has to check everything out. Then the rest want a turn too.) It didn't occur to me before now, that baby chicks could use the nipples. If I can drag myself away from the computer, I am going to go right now and make one for them.