Pine shavings in water

[turbodog]

Quote:

as you said: "It's just how chickens are".

 

[newchick13]

When mine were little, I put their chick waterer up on top of 2 red bricks I picked up at Home Cheepo. Now that they are older and out in the coop I double stacked the bricks in the coop and have the galvanized waterer in the run up on a cinder block....They still get dirty but it is only a fraction of dirt compared to what would happen should I leave them on the floor...

 

[jlesser]

Can chicks use a nipple waterer once they can move out to the coop/run?

 

[newchick13]

I forgot that I actually used one of those waterers for hamsters/gerbils/guinea pigs where they peck at the metal tip while they were in the brooder. I tapped on it a few times to show them the general idea, and they got it right away.

 

[Marcymom3]

Quote:
me too

 

[jarvis]

slightly off subjesct . but pine and cedar are bad on little critter (and big) respiratory systems ..

you may never have a noticable problem with it .. but id watch for it..
aspen is the best when it comes to shaving .. or oak ....

 

[user104534]

Personally I have my feeder and waterer suspended in the air. About 8 inches off the ground for my 11 week old ladies. Don't know how tall your birds are but I'd suggest putting the feeders at their lower neck height.(Where the neck connects to the body.)

So far I haven't had anything in the feeders but a little dirt that came off the chicken's beaks. But even a little dirt doesn't require changing. I tried setting my feeders on a cinderblock but it just didn't work as well.

 

[naakte]

oh i hated the shavings in their water/ food..... get the water/food just high enough that they can reach into it . you will be happier

 

[larsonll]

My chicks took to a nipple at 2 weeks of age or younger...right away within minutes of introducing it, but I was too wimpy to get rid of the chick waterer, so they used that mostly...I think it was easier. It was always full of shavings within an hour despite changing it 2-3 times a day.

Moved the 5 week old chicks to the coop 2 days ago and only used 2 separate nipple waterers. So far, so good. Not overwhelmingly hot here. Oh, and I have not had to change my water in 2 days since.

 

[azygous]

Here's what I rigged :

I've used this method for four batches of baby chicks now, and it works great!

Take a small net bag that those tiny clementine oranges come in and slip it over the plastic water bottle. Stretch it very tight and secure it around the neck with wire. Twist the wire with pliers to get it good and tight. Trim off any netting that hangs down below the wire so it won't get into the water tray.

I cut slots in the cardboard brooder box up close to the top and slip a stick through. I screw an eye hook into the underside of the stick and use an "s" hook to hang the bottle. You will need to move it higher every few days since chicks grow so quickly. You want to keep it just above their backs, making them stretch their necks just a bit to grab some water from the tray.

Guaranteed no wood shavings will get into the water.

By the way, this is my two bedroom condo brooder for larger broods, constructed with two boxes side by side with a pass-though. They can really get some traction with such a long run-way! It's up on tables, too, with a door cut into the sides for access. A window covered with plastic lets in natural light from the window behind the brooder.