Birds seem to prefer open water feeders?

[Chicks4fun2]

Ok so I have been going back and for between using a open water gravity fed watering container and nipples and though my birds seem to use the nipples ok...whenever I break out the open water container they act like they haven't had water in days.... So the question is are they really thirsty or is it just a novelty? I keep the nipples in the enclosed predator proof run and I put out the open waterer in the open pen on extra warm days... The only reason I donut use the open waterer all the time is that it's a pain to keep clean and fill! Just trying to keep my hectic life a bit simpler ps... They love the extra water even on cooler days too... So it's not just the warm days:/

 

[kemcarver]

they mess up the water in my gravity feeders I ean them twiceday sometimes.

 

[kemcarver]

Clean

 

[Chicks4fun2]

Yeah that's what I'm trying to avoid... The twice a day cleaning... I guess what I need to know is if anyone has had any issues with their flock not getting enough water with just the nipples? Or are these birds playing me for a fool?

 

[Mac in Wisco]

I water 5000 hens with nipple drinkers. They always get enough. The water meters show them drinking the same amount every day, about five gallons for every 100 birds. If there is a puddle outside though, they act like they haven't had water in days...

 

[chickengeorgeto]

...are these birds playing me for a fool?

Don't run your own self down. I don't think that chicks are that smart but as mentioned above they do seem to love novelty.

 

[pawtraitart]

Chickens are very visual creatures. The glint and sparkle of a bowl of water....or a mud puddle...is extremely attractive. They get plenty of water with nipple drinkers but will go crazy for a pool of water. Same thing goes for feed. They can have access to food 24/7 but toss in a treat and they will act like they have been starving.

 

[Chicks4fun2]

Ok thanks now I won't feel so bad when they make a b line for the waterer when I put it out...

 

[nerd0geekboyz]

Ok so I have been going back and for between using a open water gravity fed watering container and nipples and though my birds seem to use the nipples ok...whenever I break out the open water container they act like they haven't had water in days.... So the question is are they really thirsty or is it just a novelty? I keep the nipples in the enclosed predator proof run and I put out the open waterer in the open pen on extra warm days... The only reason I donut use the open waterer all the time is that it's a pain to keep clean and fill! Just trying to keep my hectic life a bit simpler

ps... They love the extra water even on cooler days too... So it's not just the warm days:/

I had the same experience. So I stopped giving them water in a bucket. All they have access to are water nipples. The hens produce an egg per day each so all is good.

 

[katie5668]

all of my birds gravitate to open water...although the hens have water in the chickenhouse..they dash to the goose pond as if they had never seen water in days!
& the geese..when I dump out the container of water in the henhouse will dash over & dig thru the puddle as if it was the first water they had seen!

Curious creatures that need to investigate everything! So fun to watch!

Have a great day ya'al!!