Waterer Debate

[msflutes]

I have always been a big fan of the little giant waterer, or having the automatic waterer that works with a float, so the girls always have access to water. BUT, my husband put together a system using the Harris Farms Watering Cups, where the chickens have to hit the mechanism to get water to dispense, I am not a fan because I feel the chickens need access to more water. My issues are we have the waterers attached to a 5 gallon bucket and it's been over a week since I had to fill it and when I went out a bit ago, they were all panting, not sure if lack of water was an issue or not. Granted I only have four small chickens but still......has anyone else used the water cups? Oh yeah, w

 

[StinkyAcres]

If you're worried you can always put another source of water out there for them. Have you watched them to make sure they know how to use the watering cups?

 

[Debbie292d]

We've used horizontal nipples for the nine years we've been raising and breeding silkies. There is a five-gallon nipple bucket in each of the four breeding pens and the main coop. (All coops are heated to 40°F.) The outdoor grow-out pens have electric 3-gallon nipple buckets, as the buckets will freeze otherwise in the winter.

The chicks are trained on verticle nipple bottles at about three days old. At around 4 weeks, they can manage the horizontal ones.



We put 1/2 teaspoon of RV water treatment in them, so they don't get scanky, slimy or grow green slimy things in there.



We made an intermediate version for smaller pens out of an old Tupperware cereal container.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Can you just replace the cups that make them work for it, with cups that do not. I have a big rainbarrel with cups and for littles a paint bucket with cups. Love the cups, but I'm not a fan of nipples or mechanisms that make them work for it.

 

[msflutes]

If you're worried you can always put another source of water out there for them. Have you watched them to make sure they know how to use the watering cups?

I did put out the little giant this afternoon and they seemed thirsty, but we've been using the cups for a couple of weeks now just I was concerned about the panting.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Take some empty GatorAde or PowerAde quart bottles,* fill about half full of water and freeze overnight. About 10 am take them out, top off with cold water, put the caps on and float a few in your water bucket. They will help keep the water cold. Have several so you can rotate them out for fresh ones as they melt. Do not freeze full or they may split.

* These are much sturdier than plain commercial water bottles, highly re-usable.

 

[Mrs. K]

Panting and holding their wings out is to reduce their internal temperature. (like today when we hit 107) Panting will reduce their body moisture so they will require more water, but it is not a sign of not having enough water, it is a sign that they are hot.

Birds will drink enough to keep alive almost always. Once they figure it out, they can easily meet their needs that way. Generally it keeps the water pretty clean too.

Mrs K

 

[Susan Skylark]

we’ve used the nipple waterers, rabbit water bottles, and open cups for quail, the birds love the two latter but what a mess! Your birds are getting enough to drink they just aren’t wasting it or making a big mess. I’d change water every two days and bedding bimonthly with the water bottles or cups. Switching to nipples I change twice a week or even twice in ten days and haven’t changed bedding since March (I’ve also switched to deep litter and group housing so not quite a fair comparison!).

 

[msflutes]

Panting and holding their wings out is to reduce their internal temperature. (like today when we hit 107) Panting will reduce their body moisture so they will require more water, but it is not a sign of not having enough water, it is a sign that they are hot.

Birds will drink enough to keep alive almost always. Once they figure it out, they can easily meet their needs that way. Generally it keeps the water pretty clean too.

Mrs K

Thank you, they do use the water cups but it just didn't seem enough to me.