why do we NOT hang water for the hens like we do w/ crumble/feed?

[BeckyLa]

I guess I'm the only one, but I keep all the water outside unless I'm going to be gone for a few days and have to leave them locked in the coop. In the summer especially, I find water in the coop draws swarms of mosquitoes into the coop. In the winter, I still leave it outside in the run and just break what little ice forms. If I have to leave it in the coop, I always put it up on block to keep it free of litter. But then I also use dish pans and refrig. crispers as waterers. It just works best for us.

 

[crazyhen]

I don't hang my waterer anymore. The hens would bump it and I would get a wet spot that would mold under it. I just have it leveled now and raised. No more mold. Jean

 

[Buster]

I set mine on a milk crate- I can still deal with it and the chickens can't mess with it as much.

 

[rebbetzin]

I recently hung my waterer up... I had it on some bricks to keep dirt from being thrown into it when the chickens scratch around. Tomorrow I will take a picture of the set up. I found these very neat clips that hold 150 lbs that fit the handle on the top of the waterer, makes it really easy to unclip it and refill it and hang it back up.

 

[Opa]

I use a hanging bell waterer in the summer that fills as the chickens use the water. In the winter I have 3 gallon heated waterers. Hang them at the height of your chickens backs and you won't have problems with fouled water.

 

[MsMarbles&Me]

I have mine on a careful stack of concrete block and brick AND hanging. The stack is to keep it steady and prevent swinging, and it is hanging from wire so the hens won't knock it over.

I'm wondering how high is too high for them though. They are still making a mess of it so I'm thinking of making it higher and providing bricks that they can use as step stools.

Any thoughts?

 

[SewingDiva]

I tried to hang mine, and it would just not stay vertical, so now its up on the corner of a cut down pallet because the heater needs a base. I added cobblestones around it so they can step up, and they stand on the cobbles when it's really wet and their run is soggy.

This has worked out so well Ithink I'll keep it up in blocks when I remove the heater in the spring. Both the heater and waterer hang under their coop and there is not enough headroom for them to roost on top of either one.

Phyllis

 

[txchickie]

I tried to hang mine, but our coop is built on a slope (did it that way for drainage purposes) and it just wouldn't stay level and the water ran out everywhere

Now it sits on a big cement block at chest height to the bantys and that seems to do the trick with keeping poo and bedding out of it.

 

[johnmayersquare]

I hang my food and have my waterer on cement blocks.......I just find it easier to fill that way. I use a scoop to refill the hanging feeder and keep the feed in a metal trash can just outside the coop doors. As for the waterer, I just take the waterer to the hose, give it a good rinse and refill! I would think hanging it would be more of a hassle to refill, but that is just my opinion

..... A lot of stuff is just trial and error for what will work best for you and your coop.......Good Luck!

 

[happyhensny]

In NY right now it is getting COLD! Our water is in a rubber feed bowl I bought at Agway. It is in the coop, on a cement block-about chest high, hasn't froze yet and stays relatively clean. Sometimes my 7 hens must have a straw throwing party so some gets in. If it does, the rubber makes it easy to dump out any ice and we give them fresh water every morning anyway.