Can't keep enough water available - need ideas fast!

[Sore Thumb Suburbanite]

I had the same issue with my 3 ducks and 2 geese, they could empty a gallon waterer in 45 minutes at 3 weeks...because they play with the water mostly. I think you should hook up your hose and run a waterer like you found off the hose. I am doing something similar for my flock now, only using a huge barrel to supply the water...I am using a Miller's little Giant gravity fed bowl waterer the 2550 version for large fowl (so they can submerge their bills completely). I will post pictures soon on the how to feed and water your flock forum. Honestly ducks must be the highest matinence when it comes to watering... and heaven forbid they have the opportunity to make mud... ugh!

go to www.cutlersupply.com for the little giant waterers...they are the least expensive on their site that I have found on the internet.

 

[animalpro24]

We had that same problem and they got the floor of their coop all muddy. We looked online and found out that we don't have keep food and water in with them in the night, it has solved lots of problems, but our ducks are full grown when we do this. You do have lots of ducks, our ducks went through lots of water during the night when they were ducklings, so i think it would be pretty normal but I haven't ever had that many ducks at one time so.... If you find their water empty in the morning i wouldn't worry too much but just make sure to give them water then.

 

[DurhamDuck]

I'd buy a bag (or 2) of children's sandbox sand to put around the water area. No mud and no mess!

 

[Dingleberry]

I gave my 2 a old dog bowl for the waterer, the big, flower pot ring under this helped with the mess, I wet to costco and got a Onion box for their broder. I do think they "play with their water" that dish you found looks great. Also access to only drinking willl help to minimize the water problem

 

[kayla_sayswa]

Okay here's what I came up with when I got home from work.

1) I found a 12' length of rabbit cage wire to divide my current coop in half. It's a space about 9'x 12' so should be enough room for now.
2) I put a scrap 3'x3' piece of OSB in the corner and mounted my new automatic waterer so it would sit just above it. This will allow me to slide the board out, rinse it off, and set it back in place. This corner of the shed (it's just an old 3-side horse shelter) drains well.
3) I soon realized the little buggers were enjoying playing in the dish (not surprised by this...) so I found some scrap 2x4's and some scrap welded wire to build a cage around the dish.

Looking at my babies now, I can't believe I had them in that wire cage...they seem much happier now.

I'm still not satisfied with my set up - the mini-appleyards really need to toss themselves up onto the wire to get a drink, but in a week or two that won't be a problem anymore. Tomorrow I'm going to add some duct tape to the wire ends (I did sand them off) just to make sure noone gets nicked from the wire. This is just a temporary pen but it needs to work for the next 30 days or so.

Does anyone here see any big "oh-oh's" from my set up? I like that I can easily remove the cage, slip the waterer off the wall, dump it in a pail, and put everything back in no time at all. Much nicer than dealing with those chicken water fountains.

I also set up a 2nd waterer outside in my chicken run. They both work off the same hose.

 

[kayla_sayswa]

Quote:
Dingleberry (okay, just typing that makes me giggle) - what's the bird that sitting on your brooder in the first picture...is it a parrot?

 

[DuckDuckDuckGoose]

Quote:
Looks like a nice set-up Kayla. Nice job.
T.

 

[Lund Poultry]

looks like you have the problem solved! Good job.

 

[kayla_sayswa]

It's working out awesome! I have a few drip drips at the faucet I need to fix, but otherwise, these little automatic waterers are going to be such a time saver. This morning the ducklings all seemed fine - and a few of my 4 week old pullets had joined them under the heat lamp.

These waterers cost $15 each and hook up to a hose.

Thanks again for all of your suggestions!

 

[Dingleberry]

Quote:
Dingleberry (okay, just typing that makes me giggle) - what's the bird that sitting on your brooder in the first picture...is it a parrot?

that is my EE