Chick drinking too much water???

[R1V3R20NG]

Hiya everyone. Just got a new delema. I have a 10-12 week old chick who is drinking waaaaaay too much water. I don’t even know how that is possible. Her poos are mostly water. She tips back her head and drinks water that just came up her throat. She accidentally tipped her head down and dribbled a small puddle out of her beak. Her and her sister chickie share a 1 qt waterer and every day I come out and before the day is over it is drained, dry, and the bottom has bits of mud in it. Help?

 

[ronott1]

Hiya everyone. Just got a new delema. I have a 10-12 week old chick who is drinking waaaaaay too much water. I don’t even know how that is possible. Her poos are mostly water. She tips back her head and drinks water that just came up her throat. She accidentally tipped her head down and dribbled a small puddle out of her beak. Her and her sister chickie share a 1 qt waterer and every day I come out and before the day is over it is drained, dry, and the bottom has bits of mud in it. Help?

They will drink more water in the heat. Work on keeping them cooler

 

[R1V3R20NG]

They will drink more water in the heat. Work on keeping them cooler

How come only one of them is doing this then? They are in the shade, (but they do love sunbathing at any opportunity they get.)
I’m not sure how to keep them cooler. I have misters already set up so if the wind is blowing some of the mist will end up in their area but the misters are over the area for the rest of our chickens. I can’t move them to a different area. I don’t want to put in a fan, they enjoy pecking things that move at high speed (or run away from them, in the case of a chicken or stick)

 

[ronott1]

How come only one of them is doing this then? They are in the shade, (but they do love sunbathing at any opportunity they get.)
I’m not sure how to keep them cooler. I have misters already set up so if the wind is blowing some of the mist will end up in their area but the misters are over the area for the rest of our chickens. I can’t move them to a different area. I don’t want to put in a fan, they enjoy pecking things that move at high speed (or run away from them, in the case of a chicken or stick)

Are they all the same breed? Some breeds are not as heat hardy.

Is it hot where you are?

I would give them electrolytes(save a chick is an electrolyte) a couple of days a week to be help them in the heat.

I use shade cloth and an orbit misting system in the heat. Today it is 106 here. Their poop will be watery for a while

 

[Chickenheadmate]

I would mix some water in their feed to make it more desirable. I did it to mine, advice I got from a BYC user. Works great!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hiya everyone. Just got a new delema. I have a 10-12 week old chick who is drinking waaaaaay too much water. I don’t even know how that is possible. Her poos are mostly water. She tips back her head and drinks water that just came up her throat. She accidentally tipped her head down and dribbled a small puddle out of her beak. Her and her sister chickie share a 1 qt waterer and every day I come out and before the day is over it is drained, dry, and the bottom has bits of mud in it. Help?

Adding your location to your profile will be helpful - what is your weather like?

What do you feed your chicks?
Do they have grit available?

Check her crop to make sure it's emptying overnight. Sometimes chickens drink a lot of water because of heat or they may be trying to clear the crop.

If the waterer is empty every time you check it, then refill it several times a day or provide a larger water station. In hot weather water evaporates - if they are running out, then they will also over drink.

 

[R1V3R20NG]

I dont live too far from rotott1 actually, but it doesn't get quite that hot here. I'm a 20-30 minute drive from Pollick Pines. Northern CA for those of you who didn't know. They are both mixed breeds of part bantam part large fowl. Not sure how many generations. Brownie, the one with the problem is quite a bit bigger than butterscotch, and is darker in feathering (and has a mohawk). Butterscotch almost looks like a pure old english game, but i know she's not. Butterscotch is thinner as well and has double jointed toes.

 

[R1V3R20NG]

They have grit galor and leftover adult feed lying around from the other chicks i was raising. They are on non-medicated natural chick grower and really like it. BTW her crop is emptying as well. Brownie occasionally likes to drop her water poos on me. NOT PRETTY. They do contain actual waste, Just double or triple the amount of water.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

10-12 week old chick

grit galor and leftover adult feed lying around from the other chicks i was raising.

What is the leftover adult feed (type) and how old is it?

 

[Chickassan]

Watermelon, put a piece of watermelon in with them. It will quench your drinker so the bird actually feels like it has had enough and won't empty your waterer. Iv'e had a few young ones do what you've described, the melon helped and they grew out of it and drank normally.