DIY Thread - Let's see your "Inventions".

[Leahs Mom]

Welllllll

You can lead a chicken to a nestbox, but you can't make it lay.......

 

[Amberjem]

Welllllll

You can lead a chicken to a nestbox, but you can't make it lay.......

 

[justoldbobo2]

Got my new heating element today. Will try to get it put in the bator before long and see how she does

 

[ozexpat]

Got my new heating element today. Will try to get it put in the bator before long and see how she does

they work great - you just need to keep the air going through them

 

[justoldbobo2]

they work great - you just need to keep the air going through them

I figure it will work better and have faster response than using bulbs. Takes up less space too. Need to fix it with my fan blowing through it right. ?

 

[ozexpat]

I figure it will work better and have faster response than using bulbs. Takes up less space too. Need to fix it with my fan blowing through it right. ?

the fan must be blowing through it

I use 110v case fans they are more durable than 12v versions

 

[RobJones]

I know this isnt very original but our 16 foot long coop's floor is split into 4 sections to slide out for easy cleaning

Deds, can you post some pics of your floors because I have had this idea but i would like to see what you did

 

[perchie.girl]

@Debs55

Yes please pictures are awesome... My coop is about sixteen by twelve but i am going to rebuild it eventually

deb

 

[COChix]

One more note on these waterers and the idea that @amenfarm posted....

I feel that it is very important to offer RESTRICTED OPENING waterers in the winter rather than open bowls, buckets, etc. I feel this for 2 reasons: 1. When birds get "scuffling" in small spaces, it's not too hard to end up stepping into an open waterer quite by mistake. This is a recipe for instant frostbite and possible loss of toes and/or feet...or worse. 2. Birds that have larger wattles will have wattles hanging in the water in an open-water system. if the opening is restricted, wattles are more likely to stay on the outside of the small opening water troughs rather than hanging in the water. Wattles in water = frostbite. So... There are plenty of ways to keep water from freezing in the winter, but the DELIVERY SYSTEM is of utmost importance for frostbite PREVENTION, in my opinion. An ounce of PREVENTION is worth a Pound of cure. So I always encourage people to think, not in terms of keeping water thawed, but in terms of preventing frostbite while presenting thawed water. Just some food for thought.

Very interesting thought. I hope others will comment to share their experiences for others to learn from.

I will provide feedback and agree 100% with Leahsmom as I experienced this issue right after Christmas with our flock. I was using two open heated water bowls and we ended up with our two Buff Orph roos and two hens (a Barred Rock and a Delaware) with frost bite in their wattles. The girls were not as bad as the boys sine they have smaller wattles. Our alpha roo got the worst of it as his wattles are longer than the other roos. Here is a shot of his wattles, hopefully he won't have too much permanent damage from it. Rocco - Alpha

Bruno - second in command

 

[Beekissed]

If you'll notice, the rooster in the pic above also has frostbite on his comb and, unless he dipped his whole head, I'm thinking that wasn't caused by the water source. More likely this is caused by a coop that doesn't have good ventilation for night time roosting. Same with the wattles being frosted.

I've always used open water bowls for chickens for winter and never once have I had a bird with frozen feet or wattles~using one right now. A person just has to use good common sense and elevate the container up to chest height on the bird and provide a little ledge for younger birds if necessary. If they don't have to lean down to drink, they do just fine. If you have chickens stepping in water when it's elevated up to the appropriate height, then you need to provide more room in your coop.

For the record, feet don't freeze "in an instant" and any kind of dry bedding is sufficient for drying of the feet enough to avoid this. Chickens have been drinking out of open water in the winter since the beginning of time, folks. They also go out, walk around in the snow, come back in with their totally wet feet and legs and no frozen limbs result from it. No need to make things more difficult than they already are or get folks frantic about open waterers. .