Drat dumped waterer

[chicken cooper]

DRAT!!! My first day in the coop and they knock the water off the block it was on and it had alot of water in it for the nite. It is a 5 gal plastic one that can be hung but I feel it will make the girls too crowded because i have the feeder hanging and the coop is only 4x6. I cleaned the wet chips out and hope they do it again. What would u suggest I do? I meant hope they DON'T do it again

 

[Gonzo]

I have mine on blocks in the coop too. I just added more blocks so it can't fall off.

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

do they have a run, i keep my water in the run in the summer, keeps the coop dryer, and if they spill its out side

 

[chicken cooper]

The girls (6) have a 5x10 run but since i just put them in coop yesterday I was keeping in until they get used to being there.I am thinking I should hang thre water and put the feeder on block. What do u think? Do you think hanging would be too much for a 4x6 coop and6 girls?

 

[Intheswamp]

A swinging waterer can be a problem, too. I would leave the waterer on the block BUT also tether it as if I were hanging it. This way if it gets bumped it will be somewhat secured over the top of the block and won't hit the floor.

Once they've been in the coop as long as you want them to be for "home imprinting" reasons then you can move the water into the run. You might want to look at using a nipple watering system....takes up little room inside the coop/run and works pretty good.

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[chicken cooper]

Ed my coop has a shelf that is about 14in just high enough to slide the waterer under what do u think I should do to secure it?

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
I'm not sure how the handle works on the waterer, but if there are holes in the plastic that the wire goes through you could replace the wire with heavy cord, drill a hole through the shelf, run the cord through the shelf, and secure it to a block of wood on top of the shelf.

If that won't work another option would be to build a frame on the underside of the shelf out of some 2x material of a size that will accommodate the size of the waterer's top . Attach three pieces of 2x4 to the bottom of the shelf (narrow side attached to shelf making a deeper "box"). For the third side hinge it to one of the other sides, attach a screen door latch to keep it closed. With the hinged "door" open you can slide the waterer in, then "lock" the door. This should stabilize the waterer a good bit and should keep the chickens from pushing it off of it's block.

Just some thoughts.

Ed

ETA: To clarify attachment of 2x4's

 

[chicken cooper]

Ed your suggestions sound great, I am going to see which works best when it stops raining. Thanks again

 

[Intheswamp]

I went back and looked at what I wrote and I would change the 2x4 to being attached to the narrow side. That would give you a deeper "box" to corral the top of the waterer in.

Ed

 

[jeb251]

nipples from farm teck are the way to go, a little pvc piep and a few nipples and all is well