So I've got 6 chicks, two weeks old, that I've had for about a day and a half now. I had given them a waterer and feeder from the store--the kind that you screw a jar into--but this morning the shavings and the birds were all damp. So I took it out and made a waterer from a plastic yogurt container by cutting two holes in the sides each big enough for a chick to get her head in comfortably. I watched for a long time but they only seemed to understand it as some new species of perch, so I finally ushered a few heads into the holes. Two of them eventually drank, but I haven't seen any of the others drink yet. Should I assume that they are able to figure this out, or keep shoving heads into the holes until each one has proven that she gets it? Should I assume that if they keep acting normal and pooping plenty they aren't dehydrated, or should I put the old waterer back in at least for a little while? You can lead a chick to water... Oh, and should I blow dry the birds if they get damp again? I just toweled them off and they preened under the heat lamp this morning. This thread should probably be titled "New chicken owner. Does she 'get it'?"
You might try painting the holes red. We had a chicken nipple at the beginning, too. It didn't work. Rather than getting the chicks wet, it just didn't work and the chicks were desparate for water. So, we gave them some in a dish and they drank and have been drinking from dishes ever since. They also stand in the dishes, which gets the water dirty, but it keeps their dinosaur feet clean. So, we change the water. We have hydrated chickens with clean feet. May you and your flock be well.
