Keeping the waterer upright

[medicmandan]

How do they manage to keep knocking over the waterer? I'm using a mason jar type waterer with a plastic container. I've added marbles to the water to weigh it down but they keep knocking it over, usually right after I put it in there. Any ideas? I have about 3-4" worth of pine bedding in there. Too much? Maybe it's just not stable enough on that much bedding?

 

[william9792]

i take two bricks and set them side by side and put the waterer on top of them and fill the beding up to the top of the bricks to make it more stable

 

[speckledhen]

You need to raise it up on a solid surface, not on the shavings themselves, like a brick or block of wood.

 

[raindrop]

I use a flat board with bricks on top and then the water on the bricks, helps keep shavings out of the water.

 

[AHappychick]

my extra 6x6 pavers do the trick

 

[medicmandan]

I'll have to drop by the store tomorrow and pick up some bricks.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Until you find something else, do you have any plastic containers in the kitchen that might work? I have some short bowls with lids around the size of a chick waterer base. You could put anything in the bowl to weight it down.

You might have other stuff around the house that would work, too. You just want the trough part to be about the level of the chicks back or just slightly lower. I always watch for a minute, to make sure the height is ok and they are drinking.

 

[damselfish]

If you have the brooder space, just go ahead and get them a big-girl waterer (double-walled galvanized, 2 gallon or more). You'll probably need it later anyway, and they will never knock it over. That's what we do and it has worked well.