Roosting on Water Jug

[JackieK318]

How do you all keep your roosters and hens off the stupid waterer?! Mine get up there and their poop lands directly in the water! I thought about putting a crumble up bunch of chicken wire on it to deter them, but what have you all done?

 

[wendy]

that has not happened to me yet!
we have a wooden crate out there our rooster likes to jump up on and crow. maybe you need something out there a little higher perhaps? just a thought

 

[Country Gal]

I'm having the same problem, and this is what I'm going to try:

I'm going to cut a square or rectangular piece of plywood and attach it to the wall next to the waterer with a hinge. I'm going to mount it high enough so that it when it's in the down position, it is at an angle.

I think that with it being at an angle, they won't roost on it. With it being on a hinge, I can put it in the up position to fill the waterer.

Definitely nothing worse than poo in the water!

Good luck!

 

[BeckyLa]

It kinda depends on what kind/shape your waterer is. For the one gallon plastic waterer I cut the bottom out of a milk jug and slip it over the top. For a mason jar chick waterer I tape a funnel on top. You're wire idea might work, give it a try!

 

[Sharona]

Quote:
That's exactly what we used to do. It works and it's cheap & easy.

 

[JackieK318]

Thanks, all for your ideas! I am so concerned about the poop in the water - I think that's what may have killed my hen! I'd change the water twice a day, but still poop in the water all the time! I feel horribly guilty right now, because I feel I have failed my chickens.

 

[BeckyLa]

Jackie, I use kitty litter pans outside in the run for my chickens water. I always, especially on a hot day, fill it and let it overflow to give them something cool and damp to walk in. Always, I mean Always, they walk past the fresh water to drink the water running across the ground. And, yes, the ground has poop in it. My birds are healthy and happy. I doubt your bird died from drinking water with some poop in it. You're a good chicken mama. Don't feel guilty. Just put something on top and don't sweat the little stuff. I know this doesn't seem like "little stuff" to you, but believe me, it is. You'd be shocked to know what free range chickens put in their crop yet they live healthy happy lives.

 

[silkiechicken]

Don't worry, the poo in the water didn't do your hen in as becky said. Just do the funnel idea or milk jug top idea.

 

[thndrdancr]

This is the only thing thats worked for me becuz I cant seem to find a hanging waterer. My one chicken always wants to pull on any waterer with her feet, so I finally ended up just cutting the sides out of a milk jug, leaving about three inches on the bottom and filling that, and tying it to the sides of my pen. Its the only thing I have so far that she hasnt been able to flip over. And they dont jump on it cuz the shape on top is not very desireable, and up against the pen...