Tuck 'em in with a drink of water

[easttxchick]

I think it's really great that you care that much about your birds.

Don't feel bad at all-mine have me pretty well trained, too.

 

[tdgill]

 

[fourfeathers]

I have done that for 8 years with my original four bantams! They get on their roost and I hold up their mash and they eat like crazy, then they will look at the waterer like "okay, now a drink please". Very spoilt. My other coops, I just set their stuff down for them to get although everyone usually gets a few raisins each night.

 

[ABHanna4d]

Quote:
How old were your chicks when you got them? They won't eat sunflower seed until they are at least 5 weeks or more.

my girls are around 9 weeks old. I have 5 BOs. 2 are almost 10 weeks old but 2 are a little over 8 and then 1 is right at 9 weeks or so. Ijust got them last night!!
ADORABLE!

 

[onthespot]

I have one run that will drain a certain bucket dry. I clean their waterers every day, same as all the other runs. In one section I put young birds, blocked so big birds couldn't get at them and they had a safe place to go to to integrate themselves as they grew up. Well, their bucket of water, I don't know why but everyone wants to drink from it. They have three other places to drink from, all filled and freshened every day, but the baby bucket, as soon as I put it down everyone crowds around it and drink like it is the fountain of youth or something, so the babies get cheated because the turkeys and big birds drink down their water. I freshen it right before bed and they all crowd around and drink like they have been without for two hours or so... and they are NOT! I put three waterers just outside their door, a wading tray of water, anothe waterer at the other end of the run... for some reason that little galvanized bucket handing by a snap on a string is the one they all want. I wish I had a dozen of those.

 

[tdgill]

hahahah thats too funny Onthespot!

I have a couple waterers that I used when they were chicks that I have positioned on a board at roost level. I also have 2 milk jugs that hang by wire and have two sides cut out that I put feed in also on roost level. ALONG with their gallon waterers and feed on floor level. They seem to enjoy using the roost level ones at bedtime...

 

[ihvpower]

I Love that. I "tuck in" my girls at night too! I go out about an hour before dusk and let them free-range and then I put them in the hen-house an give them an ear of corn before they settle down for bed. I talk to them a little and then it's lights out.