Pop Bottle Waterer question

[dahlia333]

Hi all,

For those of you who use these type of waterers, how do you wash the bottles? I like to use a bottle brush with my waterers but I don't see how that would work with the pop bottle set up. I guess I could swish around some hot soapy water, but I feel better scrubbing a bit.

Do you just keep changing out the bottles? Also, what do you do in the winter? Use a different waterer that you can heat?..I'm guessing....

Thanks!

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
I`ve used the aluminum pop bottle founts for years. I just use a bottle until I see a film on the inside and then throw it away and use a new one. The aluminum fount is easily cleaned with an old toothbrush. I like the aluminum ones because they NEVER wear out. Now, winter is a different story. I`m in GA and can get away with changing the water about 3 times a day, on the coldest days. I keep the spare bottles in the house. If you can`t tend to them that often, you probably should use a heated waterer in winter. Do a search on here. There should be lots of suggestions. Good luck..........Pop

 

[TN_BIRD]

I just bought some of these pop bottle fount waterers. So far, so good. I did find that since mine don't screw on to the lid of the bottle, they can jostle loose. To help prevent this, I built a simple support holder from some scrap wood to keep the waterers from sliding around.

As to the issue of cleaning the bottles, there are a couple options:
1. bottle brush
2. replace em (Our family doesn't drink a lot of soda or bottle water, but even we have little trouble finding a bottle because litterbugs leave them just about everywhere).

I just wish they were threaded so they could screw on to the bottles.



As to the issue of freezing water. Lots of folks have trained their birds to drink before the water freezes (heaven knows mine come running when I'm bringing them some treats). I also read what seemed to be a pretty good idea for folks that don't have heated drinkers. The suggestion was to place the waterer on a heated brick. You can take this pretty far with insulating your bottles and/or dropping in some heated marbles to try to prolong the time before it freezes, but even this method won't keep em un-frozen for too long on real cold days.

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
I seldom have one come loose and even then it is from help from my fowl. They are a press fit and hold very well. Perhaps you got the plastic ones and they don`t hold as well. Never had plastic, so I don`t know. The other possibility is that you got the larger size with the large mouth. I got those the second time I ordered and had to send them back. The ones I use are for 16oz and 2 liter bottles. They have always worked like a charm. I have about 50 of them.......Pop

 

[TN_BIRD]

Quote:
I seldom have one come loose and even then it is from help from my fowl. They are a press fit and hold very well. Perhaps you got the plastic ones and they don`t hold as well. Never had plastic, so I don`t know. The other possibility is that you got the larger size with the large mouth. I got those the second time I ordered and had to send them back. The ones I use are for 16oz and 2 liter bottles. They have always worked like a charm. I have about 50 of them.......Pop

Yes, mine are plastic and were very cheap.

Store in the area only had the plastic ones, so i figured I'd give em a try. We got it figured out. If they don't hold up well, I might simply make something similar with some PVC because I really like the idea of being able to change the water without having to open the doors of the coop.

 

[wyododge]

I use a 5 gallon bucket with nipples in the bottom and drop a bird bath de-icer in it in the winter. You don't need a 5 gallon bucket. But any type of bucket is easier to hang, fill and clean that a pop bottle, I would think. I am assuming the pop bottle waterer has poultry nipples in the bottom? If not disregard the idiot in the corner. If so, they will work great in a bucket. See my page for a cheap cover for the bucket.

hope this helps!!

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
Here ya go, Wyo. This is the kind I use. the bottle neck fits in the round end and the trough sticks through the wire from the outside. The bottle is held in place by a spring. the setup is great for folks with lots of wire pens........Pop

 

[wyododge]

that right there is pretty cool...

So I guess I am still the idiot in the corner... Sigh...

 

[WestKnollAmy]

To wash those hard to get to bottles, take rice that is the long cooking kind and put in the bottle with some water and shake vigorously. Works really well!

 

[dahlia333]

Thanks all!