Need something bad tasting...

[Dayrel]

I just built a PVC waterer with chicken nipples and added a heater cable to keep it defrosted during the winter. The cable is attached to the exterior of the PVC pipe using special heat-resistant tape.

Any suggestions for how to keep my girls from pecking at the tape? I was thinking of putting something bad-tasting on it. Or possibly some other way to attach the heating cable to the PVC?

 

[nminusyplusm]

Do you have any 1/2" drip irrigation tubing lying around? Or a broken garden hose? I'd try to hide the cord inside something peck resistant.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Stink bugs taste nasty if you get those!

 

[jthornton]

I used a bucket with a submersible heater in it. You might take some larger PVC DWV (Drain Waste Vent it's thinner than water pipe) pipe and cut it in half then put it around the heat tape as a protective cover.



JT

 

[member 373180]

The cords on my submersible heaters are wrapped in a wire spiral to prevent chewing. Could you do something similar and wrap your water pipe including heating tape in hardware cloth?

 

[Hoosiercluck]

blue kote is suppose to taste aweful when chickens are pecking feathers...........Wear gloves as it will stain hands big time (and anything else)
Happy winter to you and your girls!

 

[aart]

I covered the bubble wrap on my heated waterer with a piece of feed bag(white side out) wrapped around and taped.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Stink bugs taste nasty...

Don't tell us how you discovered that "Stink bugs taste nasty..."
I would rather not know how you made that discovery.

 

[RonP]

My chickens seem to like stinkbugs.

They do not seem to like mustard, even when attached to hot dogs that they love...

 

[debid]

Do you have any 1/2" drip irrigation tubing lying around? Or a broken garden hose? I'd try to hide the cord inside something peck resistant.

I like the repurposed garden hose idea! I'd definitely be about covering it up rather than flavoring it. The problem with using something bad tasting is that they will still peck, they just might stop if they get a piece off and into their beak. That's already too late. It isn't like with a dog that gets a taste every time it chews.