dirt in water!

[the outdoorsman44]

How do I keep them from doing this?

 

[Griffin Nest]

I have a really good method with dealing with this. What I do it I get a large plastic dish (one that is nearly flat, but lots of surface area) face it down so it makes a mini hill and put them water dish on top.

The dirt will go in the dish and not the water.

 

[TwoCrows]

Elevate the entire thing. You can use bricks and make a platform, even along with steps to get up to the water. Any over turned dish of some sort will get the waterer off the ground far enough that dirt does not get kicked in.

 

[Peacerose]

upside-down pie pan will be perfect

 

[LuvTheFarm]

I too found elevating the waterer to be useful and prolonging freshness of th water. I also read before that some people use water bottles like those that are used with hampsters - have not tried it personally but planning to.

 

[Peacerose]

I switched my button quail and coturnix to water bottles. They made the transition just fine. For a few days I had water in a small lid with marbles in front of the water bottle. They got the message and started to peck the new drinker. When I removed the lids they drank from the water bottle without hesitation.

 

[the outdoorsman44]

All i could find was a pie pan and it worked

 

[memphis]

Mine is raised on up on bricks. No dirt! Stays clean!

 

[oktx]

I got a drawstring net bag (from a bag of tennis balls), attached some string to the bottom of it, and I put the bag over the water jug part, use a clothespin to hold the drawstring out of the way after tightening it, and hang it from the top of the cage. A large tuna can or large chicken can is also exactly the right size to put under it which I have also used. I like the drawstring bag the best because I don't have level ground and hanging the waterer keeps the water always level no matter the terrain.

 

[Caribear]

I have mine on a poultry nipple water bottle, it works great and the water stays clean. Plus it's easy to refill. They took to it no problem.