I have a watering problem...

[Chicken Rustler]

Being new I am trying to understand why to hang feed and water so high?
I have mine about 4" off the ground and so far no problems. My thinking is that it is not natural for chickens to drink or eat from that high. Natural is a puddle or stream on the ground and feed the same, scratching on the ground.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
The main benefit that I know of for elevating the food is to keep them from billing and scratching it out of the feeder, which wastes alot of feed. Elevating the waterer helps keep it cleaner; otherwise it would stay full of shavings.

 

[anotherviewinTexas]

Birds don't drink the way we do. They can't suck.

If they have to drink water at their feet, they must hold some in their beaks, then point the beaks up to the sky to let the water roll down. That is their benefit to it being higher.

Our benefit is as already mentioned: if it is low enough, they will intentionally dirty it.

That is why I need to elevate, but keep dry. Thanks to gritsar on his method for doing this. I hope to hear more, but in the meantime, I might try a concrete block just to see what happens.

 

[peggyb43]

Just as an update, especially to Gritstar. I tried the milk crate and it worked great. I still hung the waterer at just the level to hold it in place if they should bump it when on the crate. So far today, there is still clean water in it and I am happy.

 

[willheveland]

I only keep their water inside in the winter,otherwise it is hung outside. I got a pan that goes under your homes hot water heater and put the waterer over it.When it drips off their beaks it goes in the pan not the coop floor. Will

 

[Rufflemyfeathers]

I had that problem with my hanging waterer and come find out it was because I did not have it centered in where the grove is on handle in middle..just off a bit and water runs out I found out.

 

[Dr.Doorlock]

Some of you may want to see my solution for providing clean water, available 24/7 but cleaned each day. Since I live in Texas, freezing is not a problem. I guess if you are in colder climes you could add electric pipe wrap to the tank of the watering tube inside the coop.

See what you think:

http://mysite.verizon.net/reswuzne/FoodWater.html

 

[Sunshine Chick 1]

I am a newbie also, and trying to learn as much as I can. We have our 10 week old chicks in a rabbit cage right now till the coop is finished and they perch on top of the water and leave little surprises inside, so I am cleaning it a couple of times a day to keep it fresh for them. So I should put it up on something? How high? Should I do this with the food also? And am I gathering from most of the posts that you do not have to have food/water in the coop at night? They will be fine with getting it in the mornings and threw out the day till night time? Thanks

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
You want the waterer and feeder to be at the height of your smallest chicks back. They should have to reach just a bit to get a bite to eat or a drink.
I have food and water available in my coop 24/7. My chickens are up at the crack of dawn, I am definitely not. Since mine stay outside until they absolutely have to go to roost at night they do most of their feed eating in the morning hours, then free range all day. I offer water inside and outside the coop.

 

[willheveland]

I put mine inside in the winter, only so it doesn't freeze.Any other time it's in their run.Once they roost they kinda go in a trance and do not get off for food and water until morning.They don't get up like us to get a drink in the night.They'd actually have trouble getting back up if it's still dark.That's one of the reasons you have to be careful setting your lights on a timer.You don't want to have it shut off after it is dark,it's better to set it early so it goes off as the daylight is coming. Will