MJ's little flock

[Grammy60]

I am ashamed

When we had all the birds before, I did it a lot less frequently. The only exception was the ducks water, they can be really gross on the water bowl

 

[fuentemoon]

Depends on time of year. The only actual waterer in use right now sits on the front step. When it is close to empty I take it in and wash/refill it, usually once a week.It is only a quart, but it's the rainy season. Other waterers and or the buckets and water fountain I fill and wash with the hose. Those are mostly warmer weather choices.

 

[Ribh]

I am sure everyone is going to explain that I am a bad chicken mom, but influenced by their love of muddy puddles I do the following:
- The 5 gallon bucken with nipples - I never empty that out - I wait until it needs refilling and then top it up with rain water from the rain barrel - I really scrub it clean about twice a year.
- The hanging waterers - I never empty out - when they get low I sloosh them out in rain water and refill them. When the season changes or if they look particularly yukky I give them a real cleaning.
- The rubber bowls that sit outside and not under cover - they can get pretty swampy with leaves so I tip them out now and then - I probably do that once every 3-4 days in the summer because otherwise they become breeding grounds for mosquitoes (it takes a minimum of 4 days for mosquito larvae to grow into adults)
- The water barrel itself - it has a screen to limit the number of leaves that go into it from the roof but I am sure some does - so far I have never cleaned it
I guess my chickens are drinking dirty water seen from a human perspective but it is all just 'outside dirt' (leaves) and they still prefer muddy puddles in the ground.

I usually have to fill the water dish every day ~ 16 hens drink a LOT of water~ but I only scrub if it feels slimy & that seems to only happen if I leave the water out in the sun & I rarely forget to put it in the shade as the hens are no fonder of warm water than I am. I am using baking trays & they seem to do better than actual waterers.

 

[MaryJanet]

Your opinion please. I want to check in with others.

Do you tip out the old water and fill up with fresh water...

From the drinking water?
From the rainwater?

Every day?
Once a week?
When it needs changing?

My girls have open bowls and, with all the rain we've been having, they have stayed pretty full. When they look a bit mucky I will scrub, empty, rinse and refill them using the garden hose (usually every couple of days but often longer).
The chooks also drink from the dog's water bowls and(of course) from puddles. I have even caught Edwina drinking from the worm farm run off bucket.

Good morning/evening MJ and everyone

I change the water out everyday for the open bowls, but the water bell is more like 2\3 times a week. It just depends on how yucky things get.

I am sure everyone is going to explain that I am a bad chicken mom, but influenced by their love of muddy puddles I do the following:
- The 5 gallon bucken with nipples - I never empty that out - I wait until it needs refilling and then top it up with rain water from the rain barrel - I really scrub it clean about twice a year.
- The hanging waterers - I never empty out - when they get low I sloosh them out in rain water and refill them. When the season changes or if they look particularly yukky I give them a real cleaning.
- The rubber bowls that sit outside and not under cover - they can get pretty swampy with leaves so I tip them out now and then - I probably do that once every 3-4 days in the summer because otherwise they become breeding grounds for mosquitoes (it takes a minimum of 4 days for mosquito larvae to grow into adults)
- The water barrel itself - it has a screen to limit the number of leaves that go into it from the roof but I am sure some does - so far I have never cleaned it
I guess my chickens are drinking dirty water seen from a human perspective but it is all just 'outside dirt' (leaves) and they still prefer muddy puddles in the ground.

Mostly daily from the outside tap.

When we had all the birds before, I did it a lot less frequently. The only exception was the ducks water, they can be really gross on the water bowl

Depends on time of year. The only actual waterer in use right now sits on the front step. When it is close to empty I take it in and wash/refill it, usually once a week.It is only a quart, but it's the rainy season. Other waterers and or the buckets and water fountain I fill and wash with the hose. Those are mostly warmer weather choices.

I usually have to fill the water dish every day ~ 16 hens drink a LOT of water~ but I only scrub if it feels slimy & that seems to only happen if I leave the water out in the sun & I rarely forget to put it in the shade as the hens are no fonder of warm water than I am. I am using baking trays & they seem to do better than actual waterers.

I am so glad I asked!

I've been emptying and refilling 6 water dispensers with drinking water from the tap every day. One poly pipe with a cup, three ceramic jars, and two plastic bell jars. I tip the water on the plants so it's not wasted.

But now I'm thinking I can save time by switching over to doing it when it doesn't look healthy. And maybe use fewer water dispensers.

 

[RoyalChick]

I am so glad I asked!

I've been emptying and refilling 6 water dispensers with drinking water from the tap every day. One poly pipe with a cup, three ceramic jars, and two plastic bell jars. I tip the water on the plants so it's not wasted.

But now I'm thinking I can save time by switching over to doing it when it doesn't look healthy. And maybe use fewer water dispensers.

Not surprisingly I think you could get away with changing it less often!
In terms of numbers of dispensers, I mainly aim to reduce squabbles - I have 3 for four hens and then a feed bowl outside which is water if it rains or if I fill it because it is particularly hot.

 

[MaryJanet]

Not surprisingly I think you could get away with changing it less often!
In terms of numbers of dispensers, I mainly aim to reduce squabbles - I have 3 for four hens and then a feed bowl outside which is water if it rains or if I fill it because it is particularly hot.

I have so many so there's always one in the shade and also so there's a backup in case the hens throw poop in the water while they're dust bathing. But I can rethink that because I'd like the hens to spend less time in the back porch now the gates are done.

 

[rjohns39]

Good evening folks

 

[Grammy60]

Good morning/evening MJ and everyone

 

[Ribh]

Not surprisingly I think you could get away with changing it less often!
In terms of numbers of dispensers, I mainly aim to reduce squabbles - I have 3 for four hens and then a feed bowl outside which is water if it rains or if I fill it because it is particularly hot.

My baking tray is large & deep. Most of the flock can get around it @ one time if need be but mostly its never crowded. The only problem seems to be they rust out. My present one seems to be developing a hole.

 

[MaryJanet]

My baking tray is large & deep. Most of the flock can get around it @ one time if need be but mostly its never crowded. The only problem seems to be they rust out. My present one seems to be developing a hole.

Hmmm I am having a big re-think of my water provision. It would be so easy to squirt water from the hose into a bowl in summer.