I think I read somewhere that putting the feeder and water in a container with sand will help keep the mess down. We have chick feeder and waterer that use mason jars. But the bigger chickens keep knocking the water over into the wood chips, they seem to prefer it over their water, I'm assuming because it is new. If I put it in a foil pan filled with sand it seems that it should help with spills. I've heard it helps keep the chicks from scratching wood chips into it as well. Has anyone tried this or have other ideas?
If you have bigger birds in with smaller chicks, I would switch to a gallon size chick waterer. It will be much more difficult, impossible for the older birds to knock over when it is full. I put it on a brick or block of wood to raise it above the shavings, as high as I need to and then put another brick or block in front of it so smaller chicks can hop up there and reach the water. You can get some large aquarium pebbles to put in the bottom of the waterer if you are worried about drowning, but I've never experienced that problem with the plastic waterers. I also put a thin layer of straw (not hay) over the shaving to help keep them from flying all over and filling up the water or feed.
I added a second brick, I think that will help stabilize it. If it doesn't work we will get a gallon one. Thank you!
I used nipple waterers from day one with both my store bought and broody raised chicks. I use the vertical nipples which do leak a bit, so I would just put a frisbee under the waterer. I used a 2 liter bottle that I hang up so there is never an issue with knocking it over. As the chicks grow I can raise the bottle higher. I also used the feeder that takes a mason jar. I just use a newer plastic mayo jar in it, I drill a small hole in the bottom of the mayo jar and suspend the whole thing with a piece of wire. As with the waterer I can raise the feeder as they grow, the bigger and more active they get the higher the feeder is so the chips in it stay at a very low level.
