cleaning your galvanized water can?

[kilby]

Might be a dumb question but I really want to know,
This bucket is kept on its side with a small hole and a containment edge for drinking.

If you cant get inside it with a brush or cloth how do you clean it?
I have been swishing it with hot water and soap but the only thing to get the jungle water smell out of it is baking soda or soap and water for 24 hours. doing this every day does not seem efficient to me. I have the nipple waterer set up in a plastic bucket but unfortunately only two drink from that and I have 12.

Any one dealing with this also?

Thank you

I have in my flock 4 golden red comets, 2 Cuckoo Moran Roos, Copper Morans R and H, one of each Lavender Orpington,Wellsummer, and Partridge Chantecler.
Also live with 3 cats, WGSD, Mini Long Hair Dachshund, Shitzu-Cross, two lovebirds and a Quaker parrot. This is just a backyard farm but it's cozy.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: As soon as you stop giving them a choice, they will start to use the nipples.
I'd simply get rid of the bucket, which seems to require a LOT of effort to maintain

 

[jetdog]

I have seen a YouTube video where someone used a red laser pointer the chicken chased the red dot until they put it on the nipples and "trained" them that way.

 

[LoneOak]

Stop using the bucket and the other birds will start using the nipples, no training required. The number one rule of using any new water system, nipples or cups, is to Remove all other sources of water.

 

[kilby]

I took the water bucket away with the nipple bucket just feet away and it was obvious on coming back at the end of day that they were entirely dehydrated. thanks

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I took the water bucket away with the nipple bucket just feet away and it was obvious on coming back at the end of day that they were entirely dehydrated. thanks

You have to be more patient than the chickens.
If they can reach the nipples, they WILL use them
If you keep giving another source, they won't learn at all

 

[LoneOak]

How did you determine that your birds were totally dehydrated? Did you happen to check the water level in the bucket with the nipples? The level will go down a little less than what you are accustomed to because there is hardly any waste involved. If you came in and gave them a bucket of water then yes they would act like they had never had a drink before in their whole lives, this is just the nature of how chickens are. If yours aren't using the nipples you are doing something wrong. Do a search on this same sub forum and you will see many people who ask the same question and after removing all other water sources have become successful with a nipple water system.

If the level is dropping in your bucket with the nipples in it then the birds are getting all the water they need. If they needed more while you were gone they will go back to the nipple and get more. Just as soon as you introduce the other water source they will go back to it as that is what they are used to.

Hopefully someone else will jump in here and verify my experiences.