Water, feed, and roost tweaks? Would like some tips.

[rosemarythyme]

Would staining or painting the perches be of any use for cleaning and longevity of the roosts? Or is it just more of for looks that only serve me for aesthetics?

IMO it's mostly for aesthetics. I've not had much issue with poop on roosts (but I use branches, so there's not much surface area to poop on) so a quick scrape off is enough as far as roost bar maintenance.

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

If you use water nipples on the pvc, shouldn't add much moisture to the coop. You could also add a board under, kinda like a poop board, to catch drips so they don't soak into your bedding (and so you notice any leaks).

I like the additional roosts. It's good to have more than one in case any of your chickens get mad at each other/pecking order issues. They can have some space.

 

[The Coop-D-etat]

If you use water nipples on the pvc, shouldn't add much moisture to the coop. You could also add a board under, kinda like a poop board, to catch drips so they don't soak into your bedding (and so you notice any leaks).

I like the additional roosts. It's good to have more than one in case any of your chickens get mad at each other/pecking order issues. They can have some space.

Oh OK thanks for that tip! Is it hard to get chickens to know how to use them? As you probably know everyone has this and that to say about their methods which is good so that I can make my own decisions. Would a bordered off section under the water with a square of vinyl with a 2×4 border be good? And also have you ever dealt with the cups? That refill when low by themselves?

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

Oh OK thanks for that tip! Is it hard to get chickens to know how to use them? As you probably know everyone has this and that to say about their methods which is good so that I can make my own decisions. Would a bordered off section under the water with a square of vinyl with a 2×4 border be good? And also have you ever dealt with the cups? That refill when low by themselves?

Where do you live? I have thought about the cups myself. But it seems like they would only work half of the year here as we have WINTER.

 

[The Coop-D-etat]

Where do you live? I have thought about the cups myself. But it seems like they would only work half of the year here as we have WINTER.

I live in Bismarck North Dakota. And winter is dang near 6 months out of the year. On the regular it has been negative 8°F as a high and at night negative 15-22°F. Although the water will be inside I wired the coop for electricity for the automatic door I installed and a light so I can see when I clean and head count during the winter months. I won't be using supplemental heat or light as I don't personally believe in forcing them to lay throughout the winter give them a break (poor things ) but I think I could use a fish tank heater in the water in hopes that will keep it from freezing. Who knows though. North Dakota seems to become the "Witches brass bra" if you will

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

I live in Bismarck North Dakota. And winter is dang near 6 months out of the year. On the regular it has been negative 8°F as a high and at night negative 15-22°F. Although the water will be inside I wired the coop for electricity for the automatic door I installed and a light so I can see when I clean and head count during the winter months. I won't be using supplemental heat or light as I don't personally believe in forcing them to lay throughout the winter give them a break (poor things ) but I think I could use a fish tank heater in the water in hopes that will keep it from freezing. Who knows though. North Dakota seems to become the "Witches brass bra" if you will

I don't see how having a heater in the water reservoir will keep the water in the cups from freezing. (That is what I meant.) We get cold here, not like ND, but cold enough to keep water frozen without a heater. Maybe there is something about the cups that I am missing. LOL

 

[The Coop-D-etat]

I don't see how having a heater in the water reservoir will keep the water in the cups from freezing. (That is what I meant.) We get cold here, not like ND, but cold enough to keep water frozen without a heater. Maybe there is something about the cups that I am missing. LOL

That's what I was thinking as well. I'd like to find someone with the cups in a northern or cold climate to see how they fair. Who knows maybe I'll just have to improvise until further notice ‍

 

[Baumshell28]

That's what I was thinking as well. I'd like to find someone with the cups in a northern or cold climate to see how they fair. Who knows maybe I'll just have to improvise until further notice ‍

I’m in Louisiana & I can pretty easily inform y’all about the cups. I use the RentACoop cups (pure gravity...NO stems to peck at to release water) on the Flock Party 4-gal bucket, and I LOVE THEM! Well, I loved them until this freak weather rolled in...1-2 weeks of hard freezes, rain, snow, etc. I keep the waterer hung inside the coop. We got down to 19 degrees last night. I hung up the old heat lamp from their brooder last year, covered the bottom half of their human door with a tarp to block some wind, rain & snow, then added several more inches of clean, dry shavings to their dirt floor. When I went out this morning to open their pop door, I realized the water bucket had a layer of ice around the sides and my beloved watering cups were FROZEN SOLID...in Louisiana!!!

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

I’m in Louisiana & I can pretty easily inform y’all about the cups. I use the RentACoop cups (pure gravity...NO stems to peck at to release water) on the Flock Party 4-gal bucket, and I LOVE THEM! Well, I loved them until this freak weather rolled in...1-2 weeks of hard freezes, rain, snow, etc. I keep the waterer hung inside the coop. We got down to 19 degrees last night. I hung up the old heat lamp from their brooder last year, covered the bottom half of their human door with a tarp to block some wind, rain & snow, then added several more inches of clean, dry shavings to their dirt floor. When I went out this morning to open their pop door, I realized the water bucket had a layer of ice around the sides and my beloved watering cups were FROZEN SOLID...in Louisiana!!!

EXACTLY what I figured would happen. Sorry it happened to YOU, but thank you so much for the info!

 

[The Coop-D-etat]

I’m in Louisiana & I can pretty easily inform y’all about the cups. I use the RentACoop cups (pure gravity...NO stems to peck at to release water) on the Flock Party 4-gal bucket, and I LOVE THEM! Well, I loved them until this freak weather rolled in...1-2 weeks of hard freezes, rain, snow, etc. I keep the waterer hung inside the coop. We got down to 19 degrees last night. I hung up the old heat lamp from their brooder last year, covered the bottom half of their human door with a tarp to block some wind, rain & snow, then added several more inches of clean, dry shavings to their dirt floor. When I went out this morning to open their pop door, I realized the water bucket had a layer of ice around the sides and my beloved watering cups were FROZEN SOLID...in Louisiana!!!

Oh man. So maybe I'll have to figure something else out. I would have to agree sorry it happened! That's no fun at all. And likewise thank you for the information! I'm glad they work good under other circumstances they seem like a win for the most part!