Watering Dish Idea......it Works!!!

[FunnyBunnies12]

Good Lord after containers, after kiddie pools, water dishes, ect, I have NOT been able to find an idea to lessen the mess of the ducklings, they can go into their dish and the water channel they just empty so fast, I can fill a 3gal waterer and it will be empty in 1hr of splashing, sipping, running into it, you name it, very frustrating after I cleaned the cage. I've done the horse wood stall pellets to absorb, still nothing worked. So, I had an idea I had extra Organize it cubes that you can get in Housewares in the organization isle, I use those as my bunny cages too. So I had a set with bigger openings then the others and I did this! I'm so happy, so proud of myself, and so relieved!! I love my babies, but wow am I looking forward to getting them outside!! Also, I wish they would not be so skittish!! But if anyone wants to try this I would highly recommend this. Plus they are recyclable. I'm suppose to go to Vegas sometime end of January and need someone to come into the house to care for my animals and I'm trying to come up with ways so all they have to do is refill the water every other day instead of daily or hourly! LOL!! So far, they still have plenty of water left, yes it's a bit dirty but nothing like it was before I did this.

 

[Cowgirl71]

Awesome idea!!! This past summer I hatched 3 ducklings for a friend of mine. Boy were they MESSY! They went through twice as much water and dirtied up their large pen way faster than my usual batches of 35 chicks... If I ever do ducklings (or goslings) again, I'll definitely try this!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

That is a great idea for when they are older!
I used a butter tub when they were babies and just cut a small hole in the lid so they could get their head in for water. It helped some. As they got older it was a lot harder.
Thanks for the idea! You are very clever!

 

[gryeyes]

Oh, wow. Wonder if I can find something like that around here that will fit into their brooder... the Cool Whip tub with a slice cut in the lid is working, but they still get on top of it and knock it around, some.

Thanks for posting this!!!!

 

[FunnyBunnies12]

They still are getting some water out but nothing like before, so far it has eliminated a lot of mess and spill and most of all waste of water needing refilled.

 

[jackrooster]

goood idea!! it looks great!

 

[KBChicks]

Super idea! I need one!
Now all I have to do is pull DH away from the Steeler game to make me one.....Thanks for the great post!

 

[katharinad]

Do they really need that much water? My 9 get 1.5 gallons for the night and don't even finish it. In the daytime they get a bucket with 2 gallons and again they don't finish. I think yours are more addicted to playing with it. Give them some cat toys so they have something to do. A 5 gallon pail with lid or a storage container with lid may also work. Just cut in holes into the side for them to stick their heads into and have a small bucked with water inside of it.

 

[FunnyBunnies12]

Gosh, I figured they'd get freaked out by cat toys, shoot right now they are afraid of their own shadow! They play in the water, I've tried the 1gal, 3gal, and the water is gone within an hour or so because they are playing around in it, even after they have a time in the bath tub, they see water then want to get into it. This at least keeps them out of it. They are very sloppy, sloppy ducklings! This so far seems to be the only thing that has worked. I put 2 3gal in of the waterer and within an hour, 2 max they were both empty I couldn't believe they emptied 6gal of water, and I'm using those water troffs that you posted way back.

 

[FunnyBunnies12]

Well I just put hanging bells/bird toys in their cage and a small ball with a bell in it, and a piece of an empty toilet paper roll. They FREAKED out! Like I said, they are scared of their own shadow at this age. Last night they were going stir crazy without each other, running up/down our steps then falling down. OMG it was a sight to see for sure. Man, I have a house full of ADHD people and animals! LOL!!