Watering options

[lizmc319]

This may be a silly question, but essentially I'm looking for other water options and curious what other people use. We've always used the 5 quart waterers and never had an issue, but we have a new flock that can't seem to drink properly apparently. They absolutely soak everything. We have to keep their water in the run or else it will ruin the coop and soak the shavings, but now the run is turning into a muddy mess and we have to give them a fresh 5 quart every day, sometimes twice a day. We've tried propping it up on something and they still manage to dump a whole waterer in a day or less. For reference, the 3 hens we have left in our other flock take 3-4 days to go through one of these (there are 7 new chicks). We were thinking of trying a hanging waterer with nipples, but if they can't figure out how to use the easiest waterer where they literally just have to scoop their beak and drink, I'm not confident that they'll figure out how to drink from the nipples. Has anyone else had this issue? Did the nipples end up working? Or what other options are out there? This is only our second flock and, like I said, the other ones never had issues with this waterer so this is all new again.

Also curious. I've heard mixing flocks can be tough and we have them in 2 different coops, but I'm worried how they'll act in the yard if we let them all free range together. Will this be an issue too? And if it's not and they free range amicably, will they end up all migrating to the same coop? Because neither one is big enough for all 10 of them

Any help is appreciated with either issue, thank you!

 

[igorsMistress]

Chicks are messy little beasts! I use the 5 quart waterers hung on a chain just low enough for the smallest chick to drink from. I use a 5 gallon set on bricks and they can't knock that one over.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

My waterers ("chicken cups" and an automatic dog watering bowl) are attached to a long piece of 3/4" PVC, itself connected to my water source (a 275 gallon tote - but a large bucket would work just as well, or a hefty plastic trash can). The birds, mixed flock (including ducks) made the adjustment without issue to the cups, and sometimes roost on the PVC. The ducks, of course, need the bowl so they can submerge their beaks - the bowl is actually what I've had the most problems with, and will be replacing it, as they either fill it full of mud till it fails (they are ducks), or they manage to knock it over, notwithstanding that its broad, shallow, and attached by a screw (they actually broke the attachment point, standing on, or perhaps in, the bowl).

As to integration, this is my first flock. The original 12 were of an age, no issues. The next 8 were 4 weeks younger, and though Cornish and Pekins, were undersized relative to the Pekin ducks already out there and the NHRs. 2 days of supervised "visitation" for a few hours while the elder flock free ranged, and they sorted things out w/o injury. The remaining birds (Comets, Brahma) are just now at 5 weeks, and started ranging in an enclosure outside the barn during the day, while the elders free range around them. Both "flocks" can see one another, and the little brahma have managed to fly the coop a few times to join the big boys and girls (the enclosure is super temporary - some poles and some plastic netting, over an irregular yard).

If the weather holds, and no new problems develop over the weekend, I anticipate fully integrating them on Monday or Tuesday, when they start their 6th week (and the elders, their 10th). All signs point to it going smoothly.

*from readings on other message threads, my large coop relative to number of birds, large run, and free ranging all have been significant factors in the good behavior of my birds, as are the multiple water and food sources and locations. No scarcity of resources, not much to fight over. When the Roos start looking at the girls as more than flockmates, that may change - but for now, its smooth sailing.

 

[Doc7]

I only use nipples for this reason. Vertical 0-10 days and horizontal for life. Here are videos I made about them, model numbers in links in description.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Sounds like nipple waterers would work much better for you. Yes there may be some training involved (some chickens pick it up real quick, others take a while to really really get it) but for the sake of reducing the mess, I'd at least try it. Don't have to worry about chicks with it either, as long as they can reach it and are shown what it's for...



As far as coop situation, they'll likely stay in their respective coops at first, but may eventually try to all shove into one or the other. Not sure how old your chicks are or what your integration plans are, but with 2 coops there's no reason you can't do early integration, if you have the space and set up for it. Here's my article but there's multiple others if you want to see different approaches: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/

 

[lizmc319]

Sounds like nipple waterers would work much better for you. Yes there may be some training involved (some chickens pick it up real quick, others take a while to really really get it) but for the sake of reducing the mess, I'd at least try it. Don't have to worry about chicks with it either, as long as they can reach it and are shown what it's for...

View attachment 2199880

As far as coop situation, they'll likely stay in their respective coops at first, but may eventually try to all shove into one or the other. Not sure how old your chicks are or what your integration plans are, but with 2 coops there's no reason you can't do early integration, if you have the space and set up for it. Here's my article but there's multiple others if you want to see different approaches: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/

Thank you for all the info! Our original 3 are a little over 3 years old and the flock we got this year are 12 or 13 weeks. We had a pre-made coop for our flock from 3 years ago that we just had to put together, it's tractor style and there's not much space, so they free range most days. The new one we built and added a run to so they've all seen and been around each other periodically while the big ones are free ranging (when they're near the new run). My fear is there's one of the big 3 that's mean and pecks us even, she's the one I'm worried about in the integration process. And the fact that neither coop will hold all 10. But we'll see what happens, thank you again

 

[lizmc319]

Thank you all for your help and suggestions! I caught them in the act today, seems they think they need to scratch and peck the water and end up just pulling it all out everywhere. Not sure how they still manage this when it's raised up, but we'll definitely be trying something different! Thank you again for all the info!