Uggh.. Water-er is Dirty All the Time! Ideas?

[new2chickens2011]

Hi y'all...
So, my girls' waterer is out in the run, raised on some bricks, but still gets dirty ALL THE TIME. Cleaning it twice a day probably wouldn't even be enough. Anyone have ideas for raising or mounting them that gets them less dirty?
Thanks!

 

[CrestedGirl]

I mount mine on some bricks to prevent dirt from getting in (doesnt always work, but has help keep the water clean) Maybe consider nipple waterers?

 

[ChicKat]

Hi new2chickens2011,

check into 'nipple waterers', and someone who advertises on BYC for 'poop free waterer'. I have dry fine, fine soil--- I have a real excavator in one pen, and she throws the dirt high into the air---it flys on the wind lands in the waterer, and within about 5-minutes of putting out fresh water---it has debris, leaf humus, dirt, dust twigs and grass. (she really is an amazing digger)---- It is clean water with stuff floating on top.

I got the nipples on eBay from CoopsNmore---and they are a great seller. Now I just need to get out the drill and get to work to make a new waterer. I hang mine on the side of the run----and if it is high enough for the nipples to be at the right height, the dust that she kicks up when foraging for bugs, digging up stuf and creating and using a dust bath---won't get quite that high.

Good luck---clean water is important to chickens.

 

[Steadfast]

A spoonfull or two of bleach works well.

 

[nurse_turtle]

All 3 of my coops have nipple waterers. I use them in my brooder so the chicks learn early where the water is and how to get it. I have one in the brooder now with 30+ button quail. Try them once and you'll never go back.

 

[Darklingstorm]

I kind of have the same problem but I have ducks in with my chickens and they load the thing down with dirt. It will be awhile before I get the duck pen built so I just have to keep an eye on it.
If possible hang it up. No tree, get a camping tri-pod for cooking (or build one) and hang it from that. Make sure it is just high enough for them to reach it but not kick dirt in it.

 

[blkpoodles]

i have mine hung by a chain, i found that helps a lot, what helps even more is either having it on bricks in the coop or hung in the coop.
hope this helps

 

[Newwell]

Nipple waterers are BEST!!! I got tired of cleaning the water dish out 2-3 times a day. So I made my own waterer. I used a 2 liter soda bottle, drilled an 11/32" hole in the cap, screwed the nipple in the hole, used a little silicone caulk on the outside of the cap around the nipple (24 hr cure time), ran a small dowel through the bottle, attached a loop of wire to the dowel, hung it up, and instant waterer that does not get dirty. I hang it from hooks in the coop & the run. When they were 6 weeks old, it took my chickens all of about 5 minutes to figure it out.
I've seen the 4 nipples put in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket. I don't need that yet as mine are going on 8 weeks old now.
I ordered mine on eBay for <$1 each & got them in a week.
Wish I had a better pic so you could see how it's made, but:

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
"Any Ideas?" Yes, don't look at the dirt. If they can drink out of a pond or rainwater puddles-----what's the problem? See my BYC page for pics of my setup with rainwater collection. A little slime and algae hasn't hurt them in twenty years, why worry about it now?

 

[new2chickens2011]

THanks for all the ideas