If you use a dog dish as a waterer...

Chicks Galore3

Artistic Bird Nut
11 Years
Dec 16, 2011
8,139
211
416
Iowa
...Make sure it is always full and balanced! I have a one-gallon heating dog dish up on cinder block for my chickens' waterer. Last night I had noticed when I put my chickens in that it was low but figured it would last them until morning. Later, I remembered that I hadn't gathered eggs and after debating whether it was worth going out or not, I finally did. I am so glad I did! I noticed the waterer was flipped over, from a chicken perching on the side to get a drink, no doubt. My chickens love to do that. Imagine my surprised when I picked up the dish and found my poor little bantam D'uccle trapped beneath it! He wasn't hurt, thankfully, and wasn't even that wet. I dried him off and had a little cuddle time with him (We have a special, growing relationship that is a story in and of itself.) Moral of the story - make sure the water dish can't tip! It could have been dangerous if it was hot out - Periwinkle could have suffocated or gotten cooked. (No pun intended).
 
Small birds can also jump into the dish, get soaked, or die if they can't hop right out. I use the heated dog dish that's set up to not tip over only if there are no young small birds there. I have lost bantams that were trapped under things; it's a sad story and a big guilt trip... Mary
 

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