problems with harris farms waterer, anyone else?

[Hopeful Peacock]

This is the type of waterer I have, only I have the 3 1/2 gallon size. (The 1 gallon size is pictured below.)

My problem is that it doesn't always drain into the drinking pan, even when the reservior is full or partially full. At first, I had it sitting on some blocks in the brooder and I just hand tilted it a few times a day to make sure it filled. I thought when I hung it, it would get gently jostled enough that the problem would resolve. NOT. It is now hanging in my coop. It sometimes fills, sometimes doesn't.

Has anyone else had this problem? Any way to jury-rig it to work better? My husband tried carving a little (very little) notch to enlarge one of the drain openings, but that hasn't solved the problem.

I just went in there for the second time today and the waterer was BONE DRY. Ugh.

Thanks in advance!

 

[luvinrunnin]

Well crap. We just bought one of these. We've had a plastic waterer that has done well, but had to rig up a seal for it at one point. It just bit the dust, and we bought a Harris. I now remember that it seems like we had these issues many years back when we used the metal water containers. Not sure if they were made by Harris or not. I'll be sure to keep an eye on the waterer. Thanks for posting; I hope you get some good answers!

 

[Hopeful Peacock]

If it makes you feel any better, it got a lot of good reviews on the TSC website. I was thinking we might have gotten a bum one (?) So, just watch it. Yours may be fine.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Check the hole where the water comes out to make sure it's clear.

I had a similar waterer that had a thin piece of plastic caught in the hole

If that doesn't help, you can enlarge the hole SLIGHTLY

 

[Fowl Play Pen]

Watering system problem.

I solved this problem by installing a fresh water chicken fountain. Go to "The Chicken Fountain" on the web. They have all sizes to suite your flock size. Now I have fresh running water to the chicken pen year-round. No mess no problems. In the winter just use a heated hose and bucket heater in the fountain.

Frank is the owner of the Chicken Fountain, he is very knowledgeable when it come to chickens.

Good luck.
Ted
"The Fowl Play Pen"
Great Falls, VA