Why do my chickens prefer their water when I dump it out?

[ohnoicantfly]

Just curious here. When I dump out my chickens' water on the ground, they go for it like it somehow changed from ordinary water, to magic, delicious water when I dumped it. They prefer the old water that I've dumped on the ground to the fresh water in their waterer. Why do they do this?

 

[janiedoe]

Mine do the same. I think anything that lands in the dirt is considered a treat.

 

[EddieSalita]

It's a law of nature. The dog thinks the mud puddle, toilet or cattle trough is better than its fresh clean water, the cat thinks the water in the bottom of the shower is more delicious than its bowl of perfectly fresh clean rainwater. The toddler thinks the dogs water is better than its clean sippy cup you just filled up from the filter.

Same as the dog bone covered in dirt and 3 days manky is more delicious than brand new.

Maybe there is some of of metaphysical, earth connected rainbow unicorn energetic reason for it. Or some probiotic, algae enriched mineralised reasoning.

But I've come to a hypothesis after years of observing this phenomena. Nature is an infinite novelty producing engine designed for sometimes nothing more than entertainment.

 

[ohnoicantfly]

It's just like how some of them seem to prefer to eat tiny portions of feed out of my hand or off the ground rather than out of the feeder. Maybe they think it tastes better in small portions?

 

[orelsi]

Mine do the same. It looks more natural to them in a puddle on the ground than a weird unnatural metallic or plastic contraption.

 

[DLA]

Just curious here. When I dump out my chickens' water on the ground, they go for it like it somehow changed from ordinary water, to magic, delicious water when I dumped it. They prefer the old water that I've dumped on the ground to the fresh water in their waterer. Why do they do this?

LOL. The possibility of finding a treat, you've dumped something on the ground. It must be thoroughly investigated. I cannot water anything, drop anything or dig anything without being mobbed by my flock of helpers.

 

[Tired old Rooster]

My dog ignores the nice fresh water in her bowl next to her bed, if there is a bucket full of rainwater and whatever else was on the roof in it, on the patio.
The chickens ignore the nice fresh water in the dispenser in their coop, rush over eagerly when I use the hose to spray the patio free of all sorts of detritus.

 

[ohnoicantfly]

My dog ignores the nice fresh water in her bowl next to her bed, if there is a bucket full of rainwater and whatever else was on the roof in it, on the patio.
The chickens ignore the nice fresh water in the dispenser in their coop, rush over eagerly when I use the hose to spray the patio free of all sorts of detritus.

My chickens will also sip water our of the hose if it still has a little coming out.

 

[alwaystj9]

Little bitty brains....

 

[caitlinstokes]

Just curious here. When I dump out my chickens' water on the ground, they go for it like it somehow changed from ordinary water, to magic, delicious water when I dumped it. They prefer the old water that I've dumped on the ground to the fresh water in their waterer. Why do they do this?

Because of the minerals it picks up in the ground- instinctively, that’s how they respond to ground water and know to drink it