Soaking their floor... By drinking How?

[WeeNicole]

I used the standard poultry drinkers that you put say 3ltrs in and it fills at bottom when they drink.

I bought a new one thinking my old one was leaking as everytime I go into the hen house the floor is drenched in water and I mean a lot of water. But it's still happening so my drinkers aren't leaking. I used shavings to soak up around the watered but my god it's soaked within a half a day. I know there are different ways of watering the flock like nipples etc but I like the good old drinkers. I have 12 birds all in 10 hens 2 roosters they drink a lot of water butt I'm sick of their floor swimming in water

Whys this happening? I'm going crazy!

 

[speckledhen]

Does your floor bounce? I know mine does a bit due to the distance between floor joists and that tends to make it slosh a bit when we walk around it or when the roosters chase each other. That, plus some of them tend to "leak" from their beaks and the rooster dips his wattles in the big tray of the 3 gallon waterer and drips all over as he's drinking.

 

[WeeNicole]

No floor bounce as far as I'm aware. Maybe they are just messy drinkers :/ but it's just sooooo frustrating especially after just cleaning them out with fresh shavings etc. was thinking sand may be better to soak up the water, or even just make a barrier so it doesn't "run" through the rest of the floor area.

 

[speckledhen]

The big shallow, round rubber pans that go under water heaters are great for that. Put your waterer on a cinder block or upturned small bucket on one of those. That way only shavings that get into the pan will get wet.

 

[iwiw60]

I'm having the same problem with my 7-8 week old girls...messy little drinkers they are! As a result I purchased a set of horizontal nipple waterers (5), found the right bucket with lid, and am going to drill the holes and screw in the nipples today. I'll hang it from the rafter so it's the right height for them for now...no more wet floors..yay!

This photo is from their website...

 

[WeeNicole]

I'll give it a whirl thanks

 

[WeeNicole]

I did consider those nipples but I'll try a few tips for the drinkers first and hope and pray something works, before I go on to change to those

 

[iwiw60]

PM me if you want the BYC member's email address to order. He's a great guy, paid thru PayPal and they shipped the same day, had them in 5 days!