5 baby chicks and they keep pooping in there water bowl...any advice to stop this?!

[amyunderwood307]

i know its not a huge deal, but they keeep pooping directly into there water bowl. so i keep having to change the water. is there anyway i can stop this, or prevent it from happening? they dont go to the bathroom in there food, which is a mason jar feeder. is there any type of feeder which may stop this from doing that? also, they get the wood shavings in it to. what can i do?!

 

[StephanieH]

What kind of waterer do you have? Just a bowl? You can raise it to their back level on a brick or similar. You could also get them a nipple waterer and remove the older waterer when they get used to the new.

 

[amyunderwood307]

the type of waterer i have is a metel disk shaped thing was about 6 holes to drink out of. thank you!

 

[Jakl]

X2 on raising it up a bit.
The kind with holes in it is what I was going to suggest, so, can't help you there. BUT.... maybe they are perching on the top of it, and that's how they are getting their water nasty?
Maybe one like the mason jar type would have less surface area for them to poo in?

 

[amyunderwood307]

yeah they are perching on the top of it. i'll put new water out, then the next time i check on them one of them is sitting on top of the waterer and there is poop in it. ALWAYS. hahha

 

[RonC]

You may want to hang it if possible and add an upside down funnel to the top like the Tinman from Oz. That would be about as poop proof as you can get it.

 

[kstokes]

i taped a paper cone onto my mason jar feeders. Seems to be working so far!

 

[LilMissChz]

I used chicken nipples. I got them off amazon. I used a small half gallon bucket, drilled 3 holes in the bottom, screwed the nipples into the holes and attached the bucket to the side of the brooder box. By the first week of age, they were all drinking from the nipples and I removed their water dish. I exclusively use the chicken nipples on all their waterers, inside the coop and in the chicken run. They know what they are, look for them and use them. I have a gallon waterer in the run and a 2 gallon in the coop. I have no problems with pastey butt or illnesses. They get fresh, clean water every sip.

 

[Farmettehopeful]

I just keep raising the feed and water as they grow using blocks of wood. This worked for me with my first chicks until they were about 4 weeks old and really into scratching and then there was no stopping the shavings from flying!
Oh and if you don't already, maybe put a branch on the other side of the brooder to encourage them to hang out on it instead?!?

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

IUse wood blocks too, they have to hop onto the block for a drink and then hop off,they don't hang their butts over therim! :' and it don't get chips flung into it, you'd be surprised how quickly they learn to hop up to the next level