Water at Night ?

[ChickenBarn]

I have recently removed the waterer from the inside of my coop because it makes such a mess. If I hang it from a strap the girls bounce it around and practically flood the coop. If I set it on the floor it becomes a stable roost and therefore if filled with poop & shavings within hours. I lock up my chickens at night (to prevent another massacure) so they have no water available from 10pm to 6am. Is this OK ????? When I open the coop in the morning they are obviously thirsty and all run to the waterer. But after a 30 second drink they all go about thier morning pecking. Egg production is still normal so I am assuming all is well. Please correct me if I am doing my girls any harm.

Thanks
Clint

 

[AllChookUp]

I only have a few chickens so far, but I don't have problems. I built a waterer from a 5-gallon pail and a large metal dish (example in the "Raising Chickens 101" area of the Learning Center). Here's the link:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-waterer.html

The chickens seem to leave this alone just fine. I just change the water once a week. I don't think I'd deprive them of water overnight, but I'm new at this.

 

[Guitartists]

Do they make waterers that mount to the wall? That would eliminate your flooding issues

 

[fullhouse]

I leave mine inside, raised up of the floor on 2x6s, but not hanging. Hanging it spills, on the floor is filled with shavings on 5 minites. If it wasn't so hot I would remove it.

 

[Welsummer]

Here is a picture of our waterer that mounts on the wall. We put a roof over it so the girls can't get on it and poop. It is lifted above the ground so the shavings don't get into it either. It is called the Auto Wata waterer because it provides continuous fresh water! It is awesome and mess free!! It works like a little toilet without the flush. When the water gets down to a certain point it fills up again.

That way our girls have water 24/7 in this HOT dry weather. We have hit 100 for the past 4 days in a row.....

 

[ChickenBarn]

That auto water is very ingenious. My only issue is that running water is 200 feet away and running a garden hose that far is a pain in the rear. I really don't mind filling thier water every two days, I am just concerned about them not having water duing the night. If this is not a problem (health issue) than I won't need to make any changes. If this IS a health issue, than I will have to give them water at night. Which by the way, it is amazing how much LESS the inside of the coop stinks when the shavings stay dry

. Less stinky is GOOD....

Thanks
Clint

 

[bills]

If your letting have water at 6 AM I wouldn't be concerned. From 10 PM till "probably around" 6AM, they would be roosting anyway, not looking for a drink. Now that's assuming that you don't have lights that come on earlier, as many do to stimulate laying hens.

If that's the case than you better build a cover for the waterer, so they don't sit on it. I have my waterer raised over a kitty litter box that I have screwed thin slats of wood across the top for the waterer to sit on. Any spilled water goes into the litter box, which keeps the coops floor shavings dry. They have never tried to roost on it. Perhaps the sloped design,, the slippery metal, or the handle on top discourages them.

Welsumer, Does the water in your auto watering system, (which is pretty slick by the way) not get extremely warm while it sits in the exposed hose? I was always under the impression that chickens need, or prefer cold water.

 

[duckman]

you could just put a piece of wood on the to of it then they could sit on it and not poop in it.

 

[Marlinchaser]

I would be concerned that one day the alarm doesnt go off and you sleep in till noon, or you go away and the person watching them forgets to open coop first thing in the morning. I would devise a plan to have water available in the coop, just in case

 

[Welsummer]

Welsumer, Does the water in your auto watering system, (which is pretty slick by the way) not get extremely warm while it sits in the exposed hose? I was always under the impression that chickens need, or prefer cold water.

Yes it did so my husband covered it. Now it is great again! Also, there was a guy on here that said he was going to use the auto waterer with a gravity fed barrel. That way you wouldn't have to use a water faucet.

We did nail a board over the waterer so the girls can't get on the waterer and poop. You can see it in the picture.