Watering Solution for Vacation

[Aunt Angus]

I may just replace the 2 duckie buckets with these, too.

 

[FunClucks]

For a chicken waterer - Two 5 gallon buckets with 4 horizontal nipples each. If you install correctly they don't leak and you refill for a flock of 17 about every 2+ weeks or so. Set them up on a few cinderblocks at head height and you have clean fresh water all the time. No need to hang, doesn't tip.

For a chicken feeder, I use two medium treadle feeders (below). Designed for standard size birds but can be modified for lighter ones. Refill once a week or longer. No feed loss, no scratching feed out, 3-4 chickens eat at one time per feeder, no poop or dirt in feeder. I set mine up on pallets with grit and oyster shell bins on the back. Feeders are in my covered run, so rain isn't an issue for me. If you use crumble instead of pellets, I scoop the dust out once a month and feed as a mash with water - they love it wet. They eat the crumble from the feeder just fine, but prefer it not to be dust. Pellets would work best, but they don't sell the ones I want in my area for a decent price.

One of the selling points for this feeder is that it's snake and rat proof - I haven't had any issues with those yet (thank God and my Ft Knox Coop), but I hear it does its job there too. I love that it stays clean and you refill at longer intervals. Just pour the food in the top.

http://ratproofchickenfeeder.net/medium/

 

[Aunt Angus]

This is a good idea, too. I may do both - this for the chickens, and the other for the ducks.

It's very easy to deal with the feed here, so I don't think I'll change that. I had treadle feeders, too, but my birds never figured out how to use them, and I gave the feeders away. I have 3 hanging feeders. Easy peasy.

 

[FunClucks]

This is a good idea, too. I may do both - this for the chickens, and the other for the ducks.

It's very easy to deal with the feed here, so I don't think I'll change that. I had treadle feeders, too, but my birds never figured out how to use them, and I gave the feeders away. I have 3 hanging feeders. Easy peasy.

Yea, I never said my birds *liked* the treadle feeders. They can use them, and they do use them because they don't get another choice. They'd much prefer the standard feeders, but I got tired of the feeders getting messy, feed spilled and wasted, etc. I don't have a good way to hang anything heavy, so that's probably part of it. And I don't know how they always managed to poop in them, but they sure did!

Sounds like you're set! Have a great vacation!!!