Maine

[striperon]

I observe this behavior every day. Inside the run is a pail with the red nipples at the bottom of the pail for water. It hangs from a rafter. All of the birds use it, and I keep it cold and fresh. I like that I have a cover on the pail to keep out all the stuff that can get in.

I let the birds out every day, and two of them head directly for a Tupperware container that I have outside for my dog to drink while she is out with me. These two birds sometimes drink quite a bit, other times they drink just a little. I'm hoping that they are getting enough water from the nipples, but maybe not. Anyone have a thought on this?

 

[islandgirl82]

I observe this behavior every day. Inside the run is a pail with the red nipples at the bottom of the pail for water. It hangs from a rafter. All of the birds use it, and I keep it cold and fresh. I like that I have a cover on the pail to keep out all the stuff that can get in.

I let the birds out every day, and two of them head directly for a Tupperware container that I have outside for my dog to drink while she is out with me. These two birds sometimes drink quite a bit, other times they drink just a little. I'm hoping that they are getting enough water from the nipples, but maybe not. Anyone have a thought on this?

I don't use the nipple waterers and my flock has access to water all the time with various types of containers, from the overturned jar type to shallow planter dishes, etc. and they still prefer to share the water pail with my dog. Maybe they just like the dog slobber flavor?

 

[IZZYBELLA]

I observe this behavior every day. Inside the run is a pail with the red nipples at the bottom of the pail for water. It hangs from a rafter. All of the birds use it, and I keep it cold and fresh. I like that I have a cover on the pail to keep out all the stuff that can get in.

I let the birds out every day, and two of them head directly for a Tupperware container that I have outside for my dog to drink while she is out with me. These two birds sometimes drink quite a bit, other times they drink just a little. I'm hoping that they are getting enough water from the nipples, but maybe not. Anyone have a thought on this?

I don't use nipples, so don't have direct experience. Are the girls heading for the tupperware lower in the pecking order? If so, perhaps the other birds aren't letting them drink as much. Do you have the right ratio of birds to nipples? Maybe consider adding a conventional waterer for a few days and see if they still go to the tupperware.

I will tell you that mine seem to prefer any water source other than the two I provide (one waterer in the run, one in the coop), including nasty mud puddles. This morning I noticed they had jumped up on an overturned bucket that accumulated rain water last night. Maybe they like the novelty!

 

[Tnic]

Thanks for your approbation of the privy.

Another project (the list is endless, ... and I like that), is wiring to the coop for a bird bath heater in their waterer. For the electricians reading this thread, I would think underground feeder wire would be a 3 conductor wire. When I search Home Depot for wire, most of their underground wire is 2 conductor. Don't I need 3 conductor, especially when one of the items powered will sit in water?

Not a lectrician now, but faked my way through 4 or 5 years worth of paychecks and actually learned some of it along the way.

IIRC 3 conductor wire (aka "3 wire") is for 220 VAC (or a 3 way switch circuit).

The 2 wire (110 VAC) should be a white, a black and a bare wire for ground. Black is hot, white neutral, bare is ground

The "3 wire" will have a red in addition, which is the second hot wire in a 220 VAC circuit.


12 gauge (AWG) is for 20 amps
14 ga - 15 amp

 

[dawnpel]

Could anyone tell me where I can find Robbins shavings. I just bought my last bale from TSC. It was awful.

 

[buckabucka]

 
Thanks for your approbation of the privy.

Another project (the list is endless, ... and I like that), is wiring to the coop for a bird bath heater in their waterer.  For the electricians reading this thread, I would think underground feeder wire would be a 3 conductor wire.  When I search Home Depot for wire, most of their underground wire is 2 conductor.   Don't I need 3 conductor, especially when one of the items powered will sit in water?

Not a lectrician now, but faked my way through 4 or 5 years worth of paychecks and actually learned some of it along the way.

IIRC 3 conductor wire (aka "3 wire") is for 220 VAC (or a 3 way switch circuit).  

The 2 wire (110 VAC) should be a white, a black and a bare wire for ground.  Black is hot, white neutral, bare is ground  

The "3 wire" will have a red in addition, which is the second hot wire in a 220 VAC circuit.


12 gauge (AWG) is for 20 amps
14 ga - 15 amp

We ran conduit with 3 wires in it. If you use UF wire, you need two-wire plus ground.

 

[buckabucka]

Could anyone tell me where I can find Robbins shavings. I just bought my last bale from TSC. It was awful.

I got them at Agway.

 

[lazy gardener]

Hubby brought me 100# of sprouting grain from Paris Farmer's Union. (barley and wheat) Will pick up some BOSS tomorrow, and do a trial batch. Add some lentils just to up the protein a bit. Unless someone out there recommends any other legume for sprouting that the girls will eat, for the extra protein.

Found a HUGE rubber egg in the coop today. It was massive and had a few blood streaks on it. cooked it up for the girl's breakfast.

 

[buckabucka]

I observe this behavior every day.  Inside the run is a pail with the red nipples at the bottom of the pail for water.  It hangs from a rafter.  All of the birds use it, and I keep it cold and fresh.  I like that I have a cover on the pail to keep out all the stuff that can get in.

I let the birds out every day, and two of them head directly for a Tupperware container that I have outside for my dog to drink while she is out with me.  These two birds sometimes drink quite a bit, other times they drink just a little.  I'm hoping that they are getting enough water from the nipples, but maybe not.  Anyone have a thought on this?

I had a similar experience and ended out providing both a water dish and the nipple waterer. Some seem to like using the nipple waterer more than others, and it definitely took pressure off of constantly filled the dish, but I didn't dare take it away altogether. I'd be more confident if I had started it when they were chicks.

The one flock that really has the nipple waterer down also has a cross-beak hen, and I think she really needs a dish, so I left a dish with them also. Once the cold weather hits, they'll all be back to heated dishes anyway.

 

[lazy gardener]

Has any body bought shavings from Paris Farmer's Union in Newport? I'm finding that their prices on all products are more competitive than the prices in Bangor. Up to $10.00 difference in wheat and barley. So, I'm guessing that the shavings will be similarly priced. But, I don't want to buy multiple bags for my new coop and find that they're not decent quality.