Chickens Still Thirsty

[Sassysouth]

I am using the watering cups and hubby said he has seen the chickens use them, I have not. I peck with my finger and fill them up a few times a day because they seem so thirsty. I have put the old plastic waterer back in their run since it is so hot and humid here in AL. Anyone else have any opinions or comments?

 

[Folly's place]

I use the old style galvanized waterers, and the big plastic ones also in summer. Four big waterers for about sixty birds, so everyone can drink whenever they are thirsty. I've never used the cup or nipple waterers, because there are so few water stations available for my flock with that approach, and it makes no sense to me. Maybe with a very few birds? Mary

 

[BruceAZ]

how can you tell that they are still thirsty ?

check if there's any blockage or the water is warm/hot

around here i'll add ice cubes into the waterer for them around noon to cool down the water in the 110 heat

it will help but the chickens will still panting though.. provide them with pans of water to stand on might help them cool down.. but you have to clean it out often since they will poop right in the pan :/

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I have a 5 gallon double walled galvanized waterer in the run.

And I have a sheep feeder at the end of the patio that I fill with water during the summer.

We've been at or above 90 degrees for the last week or so...the girls are definately going through a lot of water. But no one looks stressed...so I'm going to say no problems.

They are not eating as much as normal, and consequently egg production is down.

 

[Sassysouth]

how can you tell that they are still thirsty ?

check if there's any blockage or the water is warm/hot

around here i'll add ice cubes into the waterer for them around noon to cool down the water in the 110 heat

it will help but the chickens will still panting though.. provide them with pans of water to stand on might help them cool down.. but you have to clean it out often since they will poop right in the pan :/

I can tell they are thirsty because they are beyond excited to see me tap their cup and when I fill it up for them they guzzle the water down. The cup works fine. Maybe it's my birds. Or maybe I am overly concerned.

 

[pauleberly]

My birds will drink out of a plastic gallon watered over my 5gallon bucket with nipples. I honestly think it's just because it's easier to drink out of the plastic gallon watered.

I know my chicks are getting water because I hear them use it. But when I let them out to range they go right to te easy water and start drinking

 

[Pork Pie]

My flock only use nipples when they have no choice, so I decided to go back to traditional waterers, as they prefer using them.

CT

 

[ShannonR]

I have a 5 gallon double walled galvanized waterer in the run.

And I have a sheep feeder at the end of the patio that I fill with water during the summer.

We've been at or above 90 degrees for the last week or so...the girls are definately going through a lot of water. But no one looks stressed...so I'm going to say no problems.

They are not eating as much as normal, and consequently egg production is down.

I like the second water station, that's a sheep feeder? Good to know!
I bought one like this but a little taller for pigs because they kept wallowing in and breaking their metal water pans. It's currently in service as a shared turkey and goat waterer! LOL

 

[Folly's place]

Water dishes are great with large adult birds, but chicks and smaller birds will get in trouble if the dish is large/ deep. Mary

 

[greenfeathers]

Mine have finally taken to the nipples. Took them awhile because I kept putting the regular water dish back because I never saw them use the nipples. So they would wait it out until they could get the easy water from the regular dish. Now the 5 gallon bucket that feeds the nipples runs down at the same rate they were using the hanging waterer. Took two days without filling the hanging water dish for them to do it. I knew they drank some from the nipples as the water level in the bucket went down some but they would still run to the regular water dish when i filled it. Now I see them drinking from the nipples on a regular basis.