Water Spillage Solution Needed!

[ADozenGirlz]

I've got a standard, plastic water fount hanging from the ceiling of my coop on a chain. It keeps spilling, I assume from the girlz knocking it around. This morning it was EMPTY and the bedding was soaked! I've tried putting a galvanized fount on a milk crate in the coop, but it's not super-level and it spills (and consumes valuable floor space).
I'd like to know whether anyone has any good solutions to this problem. Photos would be helpful if you have them. Thanks!

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

I have a small waterer that I put in the coop when the chooks refuse to go out due to bad weather. I set it into a lid that came on a pickle barrel. Its shallow, however it catches any water that may be spilled out of the waterer. I set the whole thing on a 2'X2' piece of plywood which is on top of the 12" of shavings on the floor. I've not had anymore trouble with wet bedding since doing it this way. I too tried hanging the waterer but when the girls are having their coop parties it was getting knocked around and spilling water everywhere.

 

[LynneP]

I'd put a rubber stock bowl under there. The birds will perch on the edges, but it should catch the spillage.

Or, put the waterer on a patio block raised up on cinder blocks and set it in the rubber stock bowl...

Water is no fun in the bedding!

 

[tonini3059]

I get a round plastic container similar to a pie plate, but larger. Make an H frame with 2 x 2 lumber and cover with hardware cloth or similar and place it in the container, bend the wire over the edges so that the chicks do not get cut and it covers the container completley and put the waterer on top. All the water goes in the container and the chickens can't get to it. I know this would take up floor space but I am not sure what else to do. That is why I do not like to hang the waterers, they always seem to get knocked around and then water gets spilled. If you are looking for a permanent solution check out my byg page under the coope and you will see what I do.

 

[Intheswamp]

My solution would be similar to LynneP's. I would place the waterer on a concrete block (or two side-by-side if you really wanted to stabilize things) and still leave the cord attached with tension on it. The block and the cord should pretty much secure the water in place.

Best wishes,
Ed

ETA: This also retains the benefit of getting the water up off of the litter as you were doing by hanging it with no bottom support.

 

[patandchickens]

If it were me, I would put a cinderblock (or whatever else) in there, shim it to be level, then put the waterer on that. You can still hook it to its hanger -- that will discourage roosting, and prevent the thing from getting tipped over when nearly empty -- but with the weight borne on the *stand* not the hangar, it will stay solidly put and not spill.

Easy solution, and quite reliable

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
Absolutely agree with that, Pat...I didn't make my statement clear enough.

Ed

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Thanks for all your suggestions! I guess there's no way to both conserve floor space AND have dry bedding.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
No no, you are not losing any floorspace. The space under the waterer was not usable *anyhow*. So occupying it with a cinderblock is no loss

GOod luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Oopoo]

You could put a shelf on the wall and put it on that: