Chic Water - When to take the marbles out ?

[MTopPA_18707]

Our 13 chicks are only a week old . . . but already they seem old enough that accidental drowning in the waterer is unlikely.

I think it's time to take th marbles out. Cleaning and refilling the water would be easier w/o them.

At what age do you guys remove the marbles ?

Kevin & Kids

 

[SassyKat6181]

I've never put marbles in the waterer. I put a block of wood under it so it's about chest high....this also keeps the shavings out.

 

[krcote]

I take mine out about the time you have- they seem to have better control of their tiny bodies by then

 

[packmomma]

You know its time when the waterer is so full of shavings that you cant see the rocks lol about one week.. your good!

 

[Happy Chooks]

I don't put many marbles in, just enough to keep the water level a bit lower. And I take them out at the first water change, usually about 2-3 days.

 

[Komaki]

Like Packmomma said,1wk. the instinct to drown themselves is gone by then.

 

[rouenedmylife]

I never put marbles in the water and didnt lose a single one I think thats more of an issue with the dumber poultry like partridge peafowl guinea etc. didnt lose a single one

 

[jenesis536]

I'm pretty sure you're cool by now. I never used them, but I suppose if the lip of my waterer was wider I might've worried about it a little in the first couple of weeks, but never had an issue here.

 

[MTopPA_18707]

Thanks gang - the marbles are out.

Here's something interesting I noticed when they were just a few days old . . .

Some chicks would sit facing the feeder . . . I mean sit right down on their bellies to sleep . . . as they dozed off their face would lower into the water.

Just thought I'd share.

Kevin

PS:> I had already had the marbles from day one, based on reading . . . but when I saw that I put the waterer on top of a 1 inch piece of wood.
The additional one inch elevation solved the sleeping/drowning problem and reduced the about of wood chips that they got into their water.

 

[krcote]

Quote:
Great job