Inquiry about watering

[Branawk]

Hi, everyone!

I've noticed that pigeons like to bathe (specifically in the winter months if I remember correctly? I do not recollect them doing this at any other times) in our open-top chicken waterer (it's more like a shallow pot that we just pour water into and leave it uncovered throughout the day). The hygiene went immediately into question upon noticing that, and my father welded a pretty loose mesh from some old metal fence siding scraps that were lying around into a net to stop the pigeons from bathing in the water pot.

The issue that came in some time after and really dawned on me just a few weeks ago is that the birds (both the chickens and pigeons) sometimes stood on the mesh, probably for no other reason than just to spite me and my existence . While not to the same extent, hygiene again comes into question since their feet are sometimes touching the water and they can very easily poop in the pot. I believe that this is a pretty big issue, and I've thought of two ways I could solve it.

(Taking into account that we held about 19-20 chickens at capacity, yet now we are holding about 11-12 chickens)
Should I:

1. Make another spot for water somewhere further in our field, so that the pigeons theoretically use that over the water pot in our chicken yard
2. Replace that piece of junk water pot with something better (perhaps one of those reservoir waterers commonly used for chicks?

Cheers!

 

[azygous]

You might look into nipple waterers. That would really solve the issue, completely safeguarding the water supply against parasites introduced into the water by pigeons. Chickens don't require too long adjusting to the nipples. It is a good solution to give you the peace of mind you're after.

 

[nuthatched]

Can you get an actual chicken waterer? And a a dish for the pigeons to bathe in?
I water my chickens with an old roasting pan but I don't have pigeons where I live, if I did I'd definitely switch.

 

[SilverBirds]

Are the pigeons yours or are they wild?

If I am ready this correctly, you are wanting an alternative to a water bowl?

If that's the case, I'd suggest the chicken water cups. They can easily be attached to a bucket or PVC pipe. They can not stand in them and they refill when the chickens drink from them.



Or, you can go with the nipples. If you live somewhere where it gets hot like me, I'd go with the cups vs the nipples but it is up to you.

 

[K0k0shka]

With avian flu going around, you definitely don't want to attract any kind of wild birds and contact between them and your birds (including and especially with their feed and water). I agree with what others have said - get a proper chicken waterer, either one that uses a narrow trough, or cups, or nipples. Or you can build a slanted cover for your open waterer, the way people do for nesting boxes to discourage chickens from perching on top of them. Or if you don't feel like constructing things, you can get a squirrel baffle and hang it above the waterer.

 

[Branawk]

You might look into nipple waterers. That would really solve the issue, completely safeguarding the water supply against parasites introduced into the water by pigeons. Chickens don't require too long adjusting to the nipples. It is a good solution to give you the peace of mind you're after.

Thank you, I might look into them

 

[Branawk]

Can you get an actual chicken waterer? And a a dish for the pigeons to bathe in?
I water my chickens with an old roasting pan but I don't have pigeons where I live, if I did I'd definitely switch.

I don't think chicken waterers would be too hard to come across/improvise. The secondary bathing dish is a thing that I was thinking of doing, I'd just put a dish on some stilts and move it somewhere into my field so that, theoretically, the pigeons focus on that one rather than our actual chicken pot.

Jealous of you pigeonless folk!

 

[Branawk]

Are the pigeons yours or are they wild?

If I am ready this correctly, you are wanting an alternative to a water bowl?

If that's the case, I'd suggest the chicken water cups. They can easily be attached to a bucket or PVC pipe. They can not stand in them and they refill when the chickens drink from them.

View attachment 3059977

Or, you can go with the nipples. If you live somewhere where it gets hot like me, I'd go with the cups vs the nipples but it is up to you.

The pigeons are completely wild, if they were mine I wouldn't be too worried since I'd at least take care of basic veterinarian needs + separate dishes.

Yea, I believe the alternative watering bowl would be a lot more fool-proof than my rather crackhead distraction technique.
Will definitely look into both the cups and the nipples! Thank you

 

[Branawk]

With avian flu going around, you definitely don't want to attract any kind of wild birds and contact between them and your birds (including and especially with their feed and water). I agree with what others have said - get a proper chicken waterer, either one that uses a narrow trough, or cups, or nipples. Or you can build a slanted cover for your open waterer, the way people do for nesting boxes to discourage chickens from perching on top of them. Or if you don't feel like constructing things, you can get a squirrel baffle and hang it above the waterer.

Thanks, will definitely look into all of the above!