I'm So Thirsty

[Gracefulspice]

I need input....My 6 hens are locked in a coop with a run in the shade during the day while I am at work. They have 2 containers of mash, 1 container of grit and oyster shell and a 1 Gal plastic waterer, filled with spring water. Temp yesterday was mabey 70.

It's actually very comfortable in the coop when I come home to check for eggs. I refilled the water in the morning, and I make sure it's clean when I come home from work, usually it is..mabey a few shavings or food in it, but I always turn the waterer upside down and give it back fresh again. I wash it with soap and water every other day. I also heard they won't drink warm water

and the temp of the water was nice and cool to the touch. So mabey 2 hours later I open the coop door to let them free range. They all shot up to the house

where I have a glass bowl of spring water for them to use while out roaming, and they all horded it like they were so thirsty.

The water in the coop was still clean, I just don't understand why they would do that. Does the plastic container make the water taste different?

It's made for chickens. I just can't think of any other reason. What type of waterer do you all use.

 

[justusnak]

If you are washing it with soap...there might be a chance you didnt get all of the soap out? I would rinse with vinegar...just to be sure.

 

[AccidentalFarm]

Is the water in the waterer different from the spring water? If it is city water, maybe it's chlorinated and they can smell/taste it? You can try filling their waterer with the spring water one day and seeing if they act the same.

Dunno- I'm stumped.

 

[homechick]

Mine have done something like that. Their water was full and clean and as soon as they realized what my outdoor water faucet was all about, they were all over that! They acted like it was ambrosia or something. Funny chickens.

 

[prariechiken]

Chickens can be funny like that. Sometimes you'll see em go right past nice cool, clean water so they can drink out of a mud hole...go figure. I'd just be sure that whatever water is provided is in a clean, chemical free, (ie soap, etc.) container. A long time ago, I used to water out of a pond, then read about the bacteria and protozoans that chickens can pick up through water that can kill em, and now opt for city water only. Gotta watch water frequented by waterfowl and other migratory birds as this can lead to disease introduction to your flock by these visitors.

 

[Gracefulspice]

Yesterday morning I re-washed the plastic container and rinsed it with the vinagar instead. When I got home I could tell they did drink from it cause the water level dropped. But still same thing when i let them out of the coop. Mabey the plastic container (being a 1 Gal.) is more for peeps and my hens don't feel like they can get satisfaction from the shallow dish the water sits in?

The glass bowl is about 4 in deep and it seems they like to get just about their whole beaks in it. I'm going to see what other type of waterer I can find. Maybe there is others with a deeper dish?

I'm pretty sure they are getting the water they need, but it just makes me feel bad the way hover around the glass bowl when I let them out.

So now I get to go shopping

Thanks for all your ideas. I'll let ya's know what happens.

 

[silkiechicken]

My chickens are all silly like that too.

I'll rinse out the dish, and they will come over and drink out of the nasty puddle of old water and dirt, while if they just wait 30 more seconds, they will have fresh water! Then sometimes, if it rains, as soon as I let them out, they will go drink out of the approximately 15x20 foot puddle that forms in the driveway despite just cleaning their cage water!

Then, to spite the cat, they run up to her abode, eat any food she may have left behind, take a few sips of her water, and before they leave, step in it and tip it over!!! I've watched them do this!

I use a plastic dish type bowl for their water as it is easier to clean and can be dumped out if frozen.

 

[cookinmom]

I use a plastic kitty litter pan, with cider vinegar in it. The chickens probably just feel that it's more fun to drink out of the other one!

My crazy dog does the same thing -- he bypasses his two dog dishes of fresh water so he can drink out of his nasty swimming pool water that he carries dirt in and pees in! If the faucet is on, he insists he has to drink out of the hose, he just has to get 5000 drinks while I'm trying to water stuff.

 

[Gracefulspice]

Well I did go out an purchase a larger waterer. Fulled it up with spring water and placed it in their coop.

When I let them out this time..same thing. So I guess it's like you said...their just silly sometimes. I have noticed that it always seems to be this certain hen that has the others follow her.

She is always the first out and up to the glass bowl of water. So I think it may be part Henny see Henny do.

Thanks again for all your inputs. Now I'll have 3 areas for them to get water.

But with summer around the corner it will be needed anyways.

 

[GinaSki]

My girls AND my labs think "hose water" is best... all will walk right passed thier respective ( and attractive ) watering containers to slop in the puddles and drink out of the hose I'm using..... it's all funny for the first 5-6 minutes... by then , I'm soaked !!!