Water Clean, Thaw, and Outside..?

[aart]

I need to spend more time getting my girls to use HN.

It can take time.
Some get it like instantly, others take a few weeks to really get it.
Not good to do in extreme temps(hot or cold) when dehydration can set in quickly.

 

[Finnie]

Like the tub, the chickens kick up dirt and litter into it.

If you elevate the bowl up on some concrete blocks, less debris will get in it.
Also, it might be the debris that is causing the bacteria/mold growth, and not the heat. I use heated dog bowls and I don’t seem to have that issue. Maybe it’s because mine are up on blocks.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Somebody mentioned mold in the waterers. Are these waterers outdoors? Sunlight promotes mold and algae. Try moving the waterers to a shadier location.

IMO Best way to deal with algae is a fully opaque, closed watering system (like a bucket) that's also kept out of sunlight. I have never had to clean out algae or "slime" from my waterers, I just rinse and go.

 

[gtaus]

I made a HN waterer for my brooder with a pitcher, so it doesn't take up a lot of room. I wait until they are 2 weeks old to start using it and have the chick waterer still available for at least a week. Keep raising it as they grow also.

View attachment 1980053

Nice idea with picture. Thanks for sharing.

 

[gtaus]

Dig a hole. Line the hole with fresh manure. Put a bucket of water in and pack the manure around it.

Sounds like the start of a bad joke! Really?

How in the world would that even work? The last 2 nights our temps got down to -17F. Anything with water in it is frozen solid. That fresh manure would freeze solid in no time and now I have a bucket stuck in manure!? What am I missing here?

 

[aart]

Sounds like the start of a bad joke! Really?

How in the world would that even work? The last 2 nights our temps got down to -17F. Anything with water in it is frozen solid. That fresh manure would freeze solid in no time and now I have a bucket stuck in manure!? What am I missing here?

Someone here did it successfully...it was in a brutally cold environment too.
Member name is not coming up in my mind tho.

 

[NatJ]

Dig a hole. Line the hole with fresh manure. Put a bucket of water in and pack the manure around it. Great idea courtesy of @R2elk who will tell you if I’ve missed something. I actually use bucket deicers because I’m out of holes at the moment...

Sounds like the start of a bad joke! Really?

How in the world would that even work? The last 2 nights our temps got down to -17F. Anything with water in it is frozen solid. That fresh manure would freeze solid in no time and now I have a bucket stuck in manure!? What am I missing here?

I've never done it, but I'm guessing the manure rots and gives off heat, like a compost pile. I don't know how thick the manure would have to be, though--probably at least several inches thick, maybe several feet thick? The reason for a hole in the ground would be to keep it neatly together (not spreading out), and because the ground stays warmer than the air, and also to make it a height the chickens can reach.

 

[Manhen]

Manure rotting makes heat. A lot. Can go boom given enough manure and time

Heats yourcoop using deep litter method

 

[CindyinSD]

I visited him this past fall to get some of his beautiful Sweetgrass turkeys. Lucky me!

He showed me the waterer and he’s still successfully using the manure method. It’s especially a great alternative for folks who can’t or would rather not bring power to the coop. Plus it’s free except for the bucket.

My own personal regular bucket dumb experience speaking: don’t use any bucket you’re not positive your chickens can get out of in case they fall in. (No, the chicken didn’t die, but she definitely needed blow-dried.

 

[CindyinSD]

I missremembered the thickness. According to the article it was 6-8” deeper & at least 9” wider. It naturally gets covered on the sides of the bucket with your bedding so you don’t notice the manure.