Poop in the waterer?

[SunsetMeadow]

Well I'm new to raising chickens, a friend gave me three chicks, but I have a problem, I don't know why, but even when I change the water regulary, they jeep pooping on it, I puf a chemical that a vet gave me, but I'm really worried. Does someone know how to stop them from doing that?

 

[PunkinPeep]

Well, i'm not sure there is any such thing as keeping any chicken from pooping anywhere, but you might try elevating the waterer a little bit so that it isn't so accessible to their back sides.

Keeping the water dish about shoulder height to the chicks will help with not just the pooping, but also other things getting it dirty.

In the end, though, i wouldn't worry too much about the poop in the water. Although you want to try to keep it clean and change it out often, chickens' immune systems are strengthened by this sort of thing, and i don't think you'll see any adverse effects if you change it out each day.

 

[AlanW]

You really need to have a talk with them before it is too late. Because before you know it, they'll be pooping everywhere.

Laying eggs is about the third most common thing that they do.

 

[PunkinPeep]

You really need to have a talk with them before it is too late. Because before you know it, they'll be pooping everywhere.

Laying eggs is about the third most common thing that they do.

 

[schipperkemom]

Hi, we had the same problem. I solved it by taking a square of 1/2" x 1/2" wire mesh about 14-16" square, cutting out a 2" square from each corner and folding the flaps down, to make a wire platform 2" tall. I set the 1 gal waterers on this. I bed the chicks in rice hulls, which don't get soggy and are small and go right through the wire. I also put a couple drops of chlorine bleach in each gallon of water. We now have crystal clear, clean water for our chicks at all times. The first few days I put the waterer on sheets of newspaper so they can find it easily. Hope this helps.

 

[SunsetMeadow]

Well, i'm not sure there is any such thing as keeping any chicken from pooping anywhere, but you might try elevating the waterer a little bit so that it isn't so accessible to their back sides.

Keeping the water dish about shoulder height to the chicks will help with not just the pooping, but also other things getting it dirty.

In the end, though, i wouldn't worry too much about the poop in the water. Although you want to try to keep it clean and change it out often, chickens' immune systems are strengthened by this sort of thing, and i don't think you'll see any adverse effects if you change it out each day.

Well thanks I must thin a way on how to make the waterer elevated

Hi, we had the same problem. I solved it by taking a square of 1/2" x 1/2" wire mesh about 14-16" square, cutting out a 2" square from each corner and folding the flaps down, to make a wire platform 2" tall. I set the 1 gal waterers on this. I bed the chicks in rice hulls, which don't get soggy and are small and go right through the wire. I also put a couple drops of chlorine bleach in each gallon of water. We now have crystal clear, clean water for our chicks at all times. The first few days I put the waterer on sheets of newspaper so they can find it easily. Hope this helps.

Do you mean like putting a grid under they? I'm not sure if I understood

 

[SunsetMeadow]

You really need to have a talk with them before it is too late. Because before you know it, they'll be pooping everywhere.

Laying eggs is about the third most common thing that they do.

thanks!

 

[aart]

I used an 8oz sour cream container filled with sand (for weight) to elevate my chick waterer. You could just use a brick or block of wood.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You’re getting some real good suggestions so far. Elevating it some is really important no matter what and make sure it is level. It’s not just the poop, it’s them scratching other stuff like bedding in it. Changing it out daily is often enough, it takes longer than that for the Coccidiosis to go through that part of its life cycle, and that is your biggest danger from dirty water. But do change it out daily.

What else you can do will depend on what type of waterer you use. In some cases I use a bowl with rocks in it so they won’t drown, but it is just a bowl. If you put a cover a couple of inches over that where they cannot get up on the rim to perch, you can cut down on the poop dramatically. How high depends on their size, I use this trick for adults too.

 

[schipperkemom]

Here are pictures of the "wire floors" I elevate our feeders and waterers on. This shows them after 2 days without changing. The bedding is rice hulls, which fall easily through the 1/2" holes in the wire mesh. I think this only would work well if the bedding can pass through the wire grid easily. I add about the equivalent of 1/2 tsp more or less of chlorine bleach to the water each time I fill it which further prevents bacterial problems. It does not seem to negatively affect the digestion of the chicks; we never have to medicate and they grow very well. Just showing what has worked rally well for us. Note: I have to wire down the feeders to the platforms or they will get knocked off as the chicks grow larger. You could avoid the wire probably by having a screw protrude through the bottom of the feeders to catch on the wire, but I don't like to drill holes in my feeders. The metal feeders also outlast the plastic many many times over, the one shown is about 40+ years old and good as new. I do prefer plastic founts though, to monitor the water level. Plus they can be soaked in bleach solution which isn't so good for galvanized metal, though those wash up easily with soap and a brush, especially after a brief soaking in water to soften the manure. Hope this helps.