Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[notabitail]

I'd been wondering about metal waterers because they look nice, and the plastic ones do wear out after a couple years.

Donna's wondering why I thought this would make a good photo, but this is the waterer we like:

View attachment 4288472

Between last night and this morning, I reminded myself of the 2 main reasons I've stuck with plastic waterers:

1. Our well water is potentially tough on metal, and I worry about zinc leaching in galvanized waterers.

2. We regularly have temperatures cold enough to stick to metal (for us, that's low 20s F/ -6 C). You'd think I'd learn not to grab coop keys with damp fingers or mittens Handling metal waterers those mornings would be a nightmare, and I wasn't even thinking about the wattles!

Interesting to see how others solve for waterers.

@fuzzi -- I'd been wondering whether that water-bottle trick works after it started making the rounds on the 'gram reels a couple years ago. Looks like a clever setup.

All of my metal waterers have gone bad. They'd kinda rust and get really icky. They look nice but that's about it. Switched to the plastic ones last year.

 

[Molpet]

I started with black rubber bowls for water until the roosters wattles turned black and fell off.
I have the plastic bell waterers nowadays.

ETA I had the nipples and cups but they froze and broke when it got below 20f
I switch the bell waterers out a few times a day when I check for eggs before they freeze

 

[HiEverybirdy]

So far, so good with this waterer from Premier 1 Supplies, which ought to be available in the UK (it’s made in The Netherlands). Wattles remain dry:

View attachment 4288436

If there were a way to keep the water thawed, it would be perfect. It’s made it through 16°F/-9°C without cracking. We’ll see how we do Monday night (3°).

https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/aviaqua-poultry-drinker?cat_id=141

Everything we have from Premier1 has worked a little better than items from RentACoop, particularly the poultry netting.

I snapped a few photos of the backup waterers this a.m. to illustrate what I wrote about, in case it's helpful to anyone.

These 2 are in Merle's Girls' 4x6' coop.

I just realized we don't need 2 in this coop anymore, ha. The Marans were such bullies as youngsters that an extra waterer helped keep the peace. The one up top is mainly used by Merle now. He likes to crow and sip here in the mornings.

In Andre's 4x4':

Excuse the messy tumbling mat where Andre sleeps. It really is cleaner than it looks. When I do quick checks at roosting time, Andre hops up to grab a few last sips before settling back down on his mat.

 

[Shadrach]

I've been slowly accumulating all the gubbins I'd need to run one of the Brinsea brooder plates off a leisure battery up at the plot (they're sold with a mains adapter but built to run off 12V), plus weather- and rat-proof it, with the idea of maybe adding solar charging in future. Not quite the same thing, but similar idea.

When there were more chickens in the current coop freezing wasn't as much of a problem. 12 Watts per chicken soon mounts up.

 

[Shadrach]

My Rent-a-Coop cup waterer works great, until it freezes. Ice forms inside the tube supplying water to the cup. It's why I add RUBBER tubs for drinking when the temperature drops below freezing.
View attachment 4288446
There's salt water in the gallon jug inside the rubber tub. It supposedly keeps the water from freezing as quickly.

When ice forms in the rubber tub you just bend the tub's side and the ice breaks easily.

While it is true that salt will lower the temperature water freezes at, I'm not sure I would want the chickens drinking it with that much salt in.

 

[Shadrach]

All of my metal waterers have gone bad. They'd kinda rust and get really icky. They look nice but that's about it. Switched to the plastic ones last year.

Stainless steel sorts that out.

 

[Shadrach]

Two hours today. Better weather, very little rain, light wind and even an occasional glimpse of the sun.
Everybody came out, ate some green stuff, but no flat out head for the hills foraging.

I saw this Saturday night. If I had somewhere to keep it safe at the flats and a charging point I could do the field and back on it twice on one charge so the specs say.

Not quite sure what has gone on here.

 

[fuzzi]

While it is true that salt will lower the temperature water freezes at, I'm not sure I would want the chickens drinking it with that much salt in.

The salt remains in the center bottle, doesn't leech into the drinking water.