Too dumb to find the water?

[exbiologist]

So, in an effort to reduce the frequency with which I have to change the water due to it filling up with shavings, I moved it to the second "floor" of my ferret cage brooder. All the bigger chicks run up and down it all day long and it's obvious they have found the water. But I'm not sure about my little Jersey Giants. They are a lot smaller than the other chickens, are capable of getting up to the second floor, but never seem to. I just dipped their beaks (at least half of them- 6 total but I can't tell em apart) in the waterer then watched for about 30 minutes. I never saw any of the little guys climb the ramp to where the waterer is located now. The Giants will climb the ramp and I have seen several go all the up, but it's rare compared to the other birds.
Not worried about the others who are a week older, but how will I know if the little guys haven't had a drink? Anyone have an idea of how to keep shavings out of a waterer?

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

put a small piece of wood and put under it. Doesnt need to be high maybe 1 1/2 inches just enough to help keep the shavings out Some people put it on a saucer to help.I dont use shavings for that reason

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I elevate the waterer. The goal is to have the surface of the water at the height of the smallest chick's back. I use different objects for the chicks as they grow. Sometimes it's a lid, saucer, chunk of wood or brick.

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

I had this same problem with one of my chicks when I changed to a new waterer. I dipped it's beak in the water whenever it started chirping loudly, after maybe 15 dips it learned to drink out of the new one.

 

[Chicken Little Farmer]

I just used a block of wood under the waterer, and they stopped gettting the shaving into it so much. Its about 1 1/2 inches tall, and about 4 inches square.