water spill in coop

[PopoMyers]

Here's the nipple waterers I use. They work well! The chickens do sometimes dribble, but not much at all. You do need to check to make sure they don't leak (I haven't had trouble with that, but checking periodically is a good idea). And I like that their water stays very clean. I usually clean the container with soap and water every 2-4 weeks, depending on weather and how dirty they've made the outside of the nipples. Set the container above the coop bedding around chicken head height, and that will minimize dirt kicked up onto the nipple waterer spouts.

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I have the same ones. When you drill the hole, just make sure the drill bit goes straight in and you don't wiggle the drill. I had to remake my first bucket, because a couple of them leaked due to my wiggling, so the hole was a tad too big. Even chicks can learn to use these rather quickly. Much less wet messes.

 

[Tami2]

We have a waterer that is hung so the birds can't knock it over again and, at the same time, it is sitting on a block of wood so they cannot bump it and splash water. I think the rooster in this group does it on purpose

The one I have hangs as well. I bought a large Heavy Duty plant saucer & placed it underneath. It's actually doing a great job. I'm very happy.

 

[Tami2]

I have several kind of waterers and I know my girls use some of them to make a mess and play, and others only to drink because it’s not so easy for them to scratch and make a mess. I also have food and water inside the coop just in case they want to be there, and I use one of the waterers that they only use for drinking. It’s like this, let me look for a picture
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But these are a mess, even if they’re hanging, they find a way to spill the water.
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Yes, I have the same hanging waterer. I've never seen the aluminum one.

 

[Tami2]

We live in Central Pa. and, ultimately, purchased two of these for our ladies. They're pricey, but drastically cut down on water waste and have the added advantage of keeping water thawed in the freezing temps we experience.

We started out (our oldest lady is now almost two), through trial and error, by placing the standard plastic domed open tray feeders and waterers on the ground in the run, not the coop. It was too messy. Our girls loved to spill them and do their chicken business in them.

We then resorted to hanging the waterers and feeders from the enclosed run rafters using small-link chain. I have waterers suspended at head height and feeders just under head height. It made a huge difference in reduction of food waste and water spillage, but, the water still got too dirty from chicken dust, etc.

The next step was the heated waterer at the link above. Sooo worth it. You do get some "drippage," right after the girls drink... but, given the nipples are self-sealing, so not nearly as bad as a spill/dump from a trayed waterer.

You can even make your own version using a plastic bucket. We did this before buying the heated waterer, as I got tired the first year's winter of having to break ice/frequently change out water. A simple sealable bucket, and these... or watering cups like these... make a huge difference in spillage. I tried both. I purchased the cups at my local TS, but the nipples I had to get off Amazon.

Still, as our girls' primary caretaker, I check on them usually twice a day, sometimes more in the winter... despite the snow and freezing temps... I don't regret the heated waterer purchase one bit.

I'll end up switching to enclosed feeders at some point... likely a PVC drop to make it easier to fill, outside the run. But, for now, in the winter, I put up a gray tarp to serve as a wind/snow break and to keep the food dry.

The attached pic shows the main hen house. We're simply BYC hobbyists. But we love our ladies. You can see the food buckets, and almost, to the left, behind the ramp, the heated waterer. The other heated waterer is to the right, in another much cheaper, and barely "adequate" prefab coop with which we started. We keep it in case one of the ladies gets sick and/or needs separated from the flock. No roosters, as our noise ordinaces wouldn't allow it.

What we do for our girls, geez. Good luck.

THANK YOU!
I have two hanging waterers. One with the heating element & one without. I do the same, I actually change their water twice a day & add ice on the really hot days.
It's funny the girls love extra cold water & my African Grey prefers his water warm almost hot.

 

[Tami2]

Never thought about using them as poop boards that's kind of genius!

That's an excellent idea for poop boards

 

[Tami2]

try a nipple watering system! that way they need to peck for the water to come out and it can’t spill

We are going to look into that. I've seen many different watering systems on You Tube w/ PVC piping & nipples etc ...

 

[Tami2]

Here's the nipple waterers I use. They work well! The chickens do sometimes dribble, but not much at all. You do need to check to make sure they don't leak (I haven't had trouble with that, but checking periodically is a good idea). And I like that their water stays very clean. I usually clean the container with soap and water every 2-4 weeks, depending on weather and how dirty they've made the outside of the nipples. Set the container above the coop bedding around chicken head height, and that will minimize dirt kicked up onto the nipple waterer spouts.

View attachment 3247842

Thank you!

 

[FunClucks]

I have the same ones. When you drill the hole, just make sure the drill bit goes straight in and you don't wiggle the drill. I had to remake my first bucket, because a couple of them leaked due to my wiggling, so the hole was a tad too big. Even chicks can learn to use these rather quickly. Much less wet messes.

The standard chick waterers drive me extremely batty. Changing it 2-3 times a day, and it still gets filled with poo. At 4 wks old, I change all my chicks over to the sideways nipple waterers. That's about as young as I've had good luck with the chicks figuring them out... I usually put the nipples into a plastic snack container with a wide screw top because the 5 gallon buckets don't fit well in my brooder. Kinda like the below containers from Rural King. If they stay full, they don't tip over, or you can bungie tie them to the side of the brooder. I put a miniscule hole in the top of the lid (by rotating around a sharp tipped knife) just enough to make sure the air can get in so there's not a vacuum inside the container so the water will come out easily when the chickens peck the nipple.

 

[PopoMyers]

I also repurposed a heavy duty vinegar bottle and just leave the lid slightly loose so the air can get in. In another post, I use a hummingbird feeder without the flower lid, and hang it according to the shoulder height of the chicks as they grow. They cannot poop or sit in it.

 

[CBDean]

I have a 5 gal . bucket with nipples that I use in my coop. I have it setting in a rubber feeder bucket on a cinder block. That way an water will drop in the bucket and should evaporate. If not I can just remove the bucket and block to throw out ant water and wood chips. Most farm & Home supplies will have them. Mine is a 2 gal size but there is larger sizes.

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