How high off the ground??

[PrincessChicky]

Maybe a silly question but I haven't seen it asked yet.

How high off the ground, generally, should I put the food and water? I'm making a waterer with chicken nipples and I made a feeder out of PVC. I'm worried I set the feeder too high. Is it supposed to be at head height or their backs?

Thanks!

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

The waterer and feeder should be the height of the smallest chicken in your flocks back.

 

[brigittej]

Just saw this post.....ordered nipples last week and going to attempt to build a waterer...could be scary. Also got pvc last night. Any hints on constructing either of those? Thanks!

 

[PrincessChicky]

Just saw this post.....ordered nipples last week and going to attempt to build a waterer...could be scary. Also got pvc last night. Any hints on constructing either of those? Thanks!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chicken-nipples-anyone

That's the one I'm following.

 

[PrincessChicky]

The waterer and feeder should be the height of the smallest chicken in your flocks back.

Yep, I set mine too high. I'll put some bricks under it to help 'em out until we put in the landscape cloth/gravel/sand to bring it up a bit under their feet. We still have grass just now. Thank you very much!

 

[brigittej]

Awesome, thanks for the information!!! Another question---I put the nipples in the bottom of a bucket, but noticed there's a large area that is wet under the bucket where they drink. Is this method better for outside? Thinking it's not for the inside of the barn where wet hay is not a good thing....???

 

[hemet dennis]

The water nipples should be above the chickens head not below.
And there shouldn't be water on the ground.

 

[breakout]

The waterer and feeder should be the height of the smallest chicken in your flocks back.

Well I'll take the other side of that -- from what I've read the nipples should be at a height where the bird has to reach up a little to drink -- this way the water goes down their throat. And they should be set at the height for your TALLEST chicken. Then put pavers, bricks, wood under some of the nipples to make the height right for the smaller birds. For this system the nipples are 19" off the ground for the leghorns and the we put two pavers for the smaller ISAs. Both use both anyway.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/672358/my-chicken-watering-solution#post_9117576

 

[brigittej]

Thanks a bunch! I wasn't prepared for the wet barn floor though....works great in the summer to keep them cool as they roll around in the wet hay, but see that it won't work indoors in the winter. When they drink they don't get every drop in their mouths, and so that creates a wet circle underneath the bucket. Guess i'll need to do heaters and old school watering during the cold months. ...there's always something to learn !!!

 

[maryjane61571]

Thank you.quikest and best answer I've gotten ever.site is in my favorites list now