Watering problems

[crooked stripe]

I purchased a heated waterer last fall. I have it sitting on bricks to keep the wood chips out of it. I stripped out the coop yesterday for a spring cleaning. A small section of coop floor was soaked and black from the waterer leaking. It is a 3 gallon with a stopper in the bottom for filling. The stopper drips all the time. I took it out and replaced it with a 1 gallon type with a screw off bottom. The old stand by. Has anyone else had this problem? I can't think of a way of fixing it. I also notice the water level comes right up to the top of the bowl. Any movement from the chickens and the water spills. I hate to spend $35.00 for the waterer and can't use it.

 

[LynneP]

You may find that by rotating it so that the hole that lets the water in is at the lowest point on the blocks...they're tricky. I switched mine to the barn aiseway for the barn cats and gave the hens a heated dog bowl!

 

[patandchickens]

Can you unscrew the whole base from the top and refill it that way, caulking the plug in place so it doesn't leak? (I dunno, the heated 3 gal waterer I have doesn't have a plug, I've been envying youse guys with the other kind but maybe I am actually better off

) I do notice that I have to be careful which way mine faces -- as Lynne says, you have to have the side with the hole for the water to come out be the slightly *lowest* side.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[crooked stripe]

I didn't see a single hole where the water enters the basin. I will have to study it more. If I could find the hole, I could partially fill the hole at the top to reduce the amount of water that was able to enter the bowl. I could also seal the plug and fill it by removing the whole base. I leveled up the base when I first installed it but the frost in the ground moves the coop up and down as it comes and goes. I guess there is always a challenge. That is what makes thing interesting.