Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Shadrach]

I've been looking for something to use for the water I leave in the coop overnight. The terracotta bowls I've been using for food and water just don't hold enough water.
I bought a couple of these. They hold about twice as much water and I'll be able to mount them on the coop wall/door.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FZ9C3DDX?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

 

[BDutch]

I bought this one for about 2 kg feed, 2 years ago. Mainly because they spilled a lot of food in the open containers and also to be able to leave the chickens for a whole day unattended if necessary.
https://dierencompleet.nl/product/voersilo-verzinkt-25-kg-kunststof-scheidingswand/

I started with crumble. But they still made a mess to get the best bits. With pellets it works great.

 

[HiEverybirdy]

I've been looking for something to use for the water I leave in the coop overnight. The terracotta bowls I've been using for food and water just don't hold enough water.
I bought a couple of these. They hold about twice as much water and I'll be able to mount them on the coop wall/door.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FZ9C3DDX?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Water-wise in smaller coops, I like something they can't knock over or poop in, like this one.
https://rentacoop.com/products/rentacoop-chick-waterer-1liter32oz-drinker-plus-red-versatile-nipple

It needs something to sit on, like a ledge or block of wood, as well as something for the bungee to hook into behind it, like hardware cloth or eye hooks.

I've also long kept a bag of nipples on hand to make my own backup waterers out of plastic pitchers like this.
https://www.amazon.com/GoodCook-Quart-Bottle-Containers-Container/dp/B07WNY38P4/?th=1

Nipple waterers seem to be a source of fun for them. I keep a bigger one in each of their runs as backup. Some days, they stand around catching the water drops each other makes. Andre's nipple waterer is one of his very favorite things. He burbles at it and wattle-waggles and chook-chooks at the Speckles to come check it out. The Speckles aren't that easily impressed, but it's cute.

 

[SimpleJenn]

 

[Shadrach]

Water-wise in smaller coops, I like something they can't knock over or poop in, like this one.
https://rentacoop.com/products/rentacoop-chick-waterer-1liter32oz-drinker-plus-red-versatile-nipple

It needs something to sit on, like a ledge or block of wood, as well as something for the bungee to hook into behind it, like hardware cloth or eye hooks.

I don't really have room, or the need for something that big. 250 to 300ml would be fine. I need some water in there to go with the overnight food plus a bit. There used to be a little water left in the terracotta bowl but on the couple of occasion Mrs Chew A Coop prevented the pop door from opening they were obviously thirsty when I opened them up in the afternoon.
Do those plastic water containers cope with the cold temps without cracking or going brittle?

 

[kattabelly]

I don't really have room, or the need for something that big. 250 to 300ml would be fine. I need some water in there to go with the overnight food plus a bit. There used to be a little water left in the terracotta bowl but on the couple of occasion Mrs Chew A Coop prevented the pop door from opening they were obviously thirsty when I opened them up in the afternoon.
Do those plastic water containers cope with the cold temps without cracking or going brittle?

I'd imagine the cold we get in the UK wouldn't be an issue, but you could also make a nipple waterer out of some freezer-safe tupperware if you wanted to be sure.

Or if you can find a way to stop it getting knocked over, it's really easy to make a small gravity waterer out of a small plastic bottle and one of those terracotta dishes. You'd probably want a slightly larger dish, or a very narrow bottle, for adult chickens - I usually use them for young chicks, when I don't want them to have more than a small gap to dip their beaks in.

Or you could just try something like a deep, heavy dog water bowl?

 

[Shadrach]

One and a half hours. 6C max with 35mph gusts interspersed with periods of rain. In short, not very nice.
They all came out for about twenty minutes. Mow went to roost half an hour before sundown, Glais was next five minutes later and finally Sylph who wandered in and out of the coop extension at dusk.

Glais has out which treat foods gets Sylph and Mow most interested and these are what he drops for them; the rest he doesn't bother. It will be interesting to see how his behaviour changes when Mow and Sylph start to lay eggs again.
He's recently taken to popping into the coop while I'm cleaning it out. He's seen that Mow will get on the roost bar while I'm cleaning and not be at all bothered to the point that I can sweep right underneath her and she'll stay put.
Sylph and Glais have definitely taken to each other. Sylph gets quite vocal when Glais isn't close by. I'm still Mow's man in some fashion or other. It's not that she's having any problems with Glais; it's just Mow being Mow and have that extra year of me and Henry.

 

[Shadrach]

I'd imagine the cold we get in the UK wouldn't be an issue, but you could also make a nipple waterer out of some freezer-safe tupperware if you wanted to be sure.

Or if you can find a way to stop it getting knocked over, it's really easy to make a small gravity waterer out of a small plastic bottle and one of those terracotta dishes. You'd probably want a slightly larger dish, or a very narrow bottle, for adult chickens - I usually use them for young chicks, when I don't want them to have more than a small gap to dip their beaks in.

Or you could just try something like a deep, heavy dog water bowl?

The stainless steel bowls I linked to earlier are spill proof, sort of and not plastic which is a plus in my view; easy to get properly clean.
I left one with water in last night and again tonight. I'll fix both to the coop over the next couple of days and see how they work out.

 

[kattabelly]

The stainless steel bowls I linked to earlier are spill proof, sort of and not plastic which is a plus in my view; easy to get properly clean.
I left one with water in last night and again tonight. I'll fix both to the coop over the next couple of days and see how they work out.

Ah yeah sorry, I forgot you mentioned you'd already got something to try.