Making a mess of their water containers :(

[chickenlizzle]

Hey all,
We have about 24 RI red chickens about 7-8 months old that we bought 3 weeks ago. Right from the start they started messing their waterers. Putting hay and dirt in the water. We raised the waterers off the ground so that's not as much a problem but they have (gasp!) started pooping in their own water. Is this normal chicken behavior? The water is brown and mucky and we have to clean it out frequently. Is there a danger to the chickens with such dirty water? Thanks for any help.
Liz

 

[LarryPQ]

Normal. You may want to put something over the container so they cannot roost on it. I have a horse trough, so of course they hang out on the edge and walk in it. Poo everywhere. Welcome to chickens.

Poo. Everywhere.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Normal.

 

[emvickrey]

Chickens are nasty. I have to clean my water containers out constantly. I keep a sponge stuck in the wire of the coop so I have something handy to wipe them out when rinsing isn't enough.

 

[okieglory]

normal, gotta clean up after chickens alot.

 

[LarryPQ]

Quote:
mmmhhhmmmm *double snap*

 

[AnnainMD]

You need a nipple waterer. Lovely and clean, I LOVE them.

 

[M To The Maxx]

Welcome to the parenthood of raising chickens lol.

 

[tatanka-huhn-haus]

chickens seem to love being around or covered in their own poop hahahaha

 

[Warthog]

That's chickens for you, and they just wonderful