Water Clean, Thaw, and Outside..?

[BigBlueHen53]

So... how do you teach your chickens to drink from HN, or should I start another thread for this question?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

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

 

[Manhen]

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

Do you mean Chicago?

 

[aart]

So... how do you teach your chickens to drink from HN, or should I start another thread for this question?

It can be easy-peasy or frustratingly worrisome.

I've had all age birds either pick it right up within an hour...and others that take weeks to really figure it out.

Here's my thoughts on 'nipple training'.

First, it's good to know how much water your flock consumes 'normally', I top off water every morning and have marks on the waterers so I know about how much they drink.

-Show them how with your finger(tho that might just train them to wait for your finger), and/or manually grab them and push their head/beak onto the trigger(easier with chicks than adults).

-No other water source, best to 'train' during mild weather when dehydration is less of an immediate health risk. I do provide an open waterer late in day to make sure they don't go to roost dehydrated, especially young chicks.

It can take days or weeks to get them fully switched over, just takes observation, consistency, and patience.

 

[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.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

It can be easy-peasy or frustratingly worrisome.

I've had all age birds either pick it right up within an hour...and others that take weeks to really figure it out.

Here's my thoughts on 'nipple training'.

First, it's good to know how much water your flock consumes 'normally', I top off water every morning and have marks on the waterers so I know about how much they drink.

-Show them how with your finger(tho that might just train them to wait for your finger), and/or manually grab them and push their head/beak onto the trigger(easier with chicks than adults).

-No other water source, best to 'train' during mild weather when dehydration is less of an immediate health risk. I do provide an open waterer late in day to make sure they don't go to roost dehydrated, especially young chicks.

It can take days or weeks to get them fully switched over, just takes observation, consistency, and patience.

Hmmm. How about this. I'll start my next batch of chicks off from the get-go, and hope they train the older girls. Even if the old girls don't catch on, I'll train each new generation the same. Eventually the old drinkers will die off ad only nipple drinkers will remain. Does this sound viable?

 

[Manhen]

Hmmm. How about this. I'll start my next batch of chicks off from the get-go, and hope they train the older girls. Even if the old girls don't catch on, I'll train each new generation the same. Eventually the old drinkers will die off ad only nipple drinkers will remain. Does this sound viable?

You have great patience grasshopper

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You have great patience grasshopper

Lol. I just wondered if that would work. I have the rest of my life, right? However long that might be...

 

[Criticalicious]

Adults can learn how to use HN fairly quickly. I've seen 2 day old chicks take to them too, although I offered additional water in case they couldn't move the pin easily. Chickens will still drink from mud puddles if given a choice because they're chickens

 

[gtaus]

The trouble I am having in the coop is that the water container gets FILTHY! I am also noticing much higher moisture within the coop to the extent that I added an additional vent. Lastly, aside from the waterer getting dirty the water makes its way into the bedding and just... I don't want it inside anymore! On a cold day, sure I will throw some water in there, but I want it outside.

I am having very good luck with my 3 gallon metal water fount and metal base heater. I have my water in my coop. The coop has about 6 inches of wood chips deep litter. At first, the chickens were scratching stuff into the water. But I bought a patio paver block, put the metal base heater on the paver, and then put the water fount on the heater. The additional height was all I needed to stop the chickens from scratching litter into the water.

Did you actually take a measurement of the humidity in your coop before and after using the water fount in the coop and compare it to the outside humidity? This is my first winter with laying hens in a coop, and humidity is a concern for me. At present, I'm looking at an outside temp of -11F and a relative humidity of 64%. I have not noticed any significant difference between my coop and outside humidity. But if I did, I guess my best option would be to add more ventilation.

I don't have a covered run, and currently we have about one foot of snow on the ground. My girls won't even go outside on the snow. So putting the water outside is a non starter for me.