Water bottles for chooks..

Willow · Post by **Willow** » 25 Sep 2007, 14:03

Has anyone ever tried those bottle drinkers used for rabbits etc? Just a thought because my ladies are always let out before 7am but the first thing they do is rush to the water dispenser.. I thought the bottle may be an idea for inside the hen house.. :idea: ??

Dave · Post by **Dave** » 25 Sep 2007, 14:05

you have to lick a ball bearing to let the water run-buy
a chicken pecks and i dont thing they are that good at aiming!
put a small drinker in the coup or just a bowl

Willow · Post by **Willow** » 25 Sep 2007, 14:15

Dont you put our chooks down... I'll have you know they are superb at aiming!! ask anyone who's ever run away because they've spied a tiny cut or graze on your leg!! and I've seen mine catch flies!! I think the balls on the drinkers just need to be moved to release some water.. I'm gong to play with the one in the rabbit pen in our local pet shop to find out!!

Dave · Post by **Dave** » 25 Sep 2007, 16:06

how about a big buggie drinker?(ie a parrot one)

Willow · Post by **Willow** » 25 Sep 2007, 16:13

That could be an idea... You're not supposed to have the drinkers in there because of the condensation / humidity.. hense the idea of the bottle drinker.. but a small budgie / parrot one? especially if you can fix it othe back of the door and its off the ground so the ladies dont stomp in it.... )t'

Dave · Post by **Dave** » 25 Sep 2007, 16:24

if the coup is well ventalated i would be suprised if humidaty
would be problem
you can get a folding dog drinker that might do
it looks like a tube (size of two cans of drink)and a scoup that hinges down to form a trough it ends up looking like a big bird drinker
our has broke so i can't show you a pic

AnnaB · Post by **AnnaB** » 25 Sep 2007, 17:54

Hi Willow
They are asleep all night and as long as you let them out early they do not need water inside the coop. Its like us we rush for the kettle when we get up!

Jodi · Post by **Jodi** » 26 Sep 2007, 00:12

I've got a stainless steel bowl in my coup. I've put bricks around it to stop the girls standing on the rim and tipping it over. It needs refilling daily though.

When I first got the girls I just presumed inside the coup would be the best spot, keeps other birds out of it and being quite windy where I live, thought it would stay cleaner.

My OHs family had chooks many years ago and used to use one of those drinker thingys. They said it doesn't take them any time at all to figure it out. I've got my eye out for one, with summer coming up, an open bowl won't be ideal as it will evaporate very quickly in our heat.

cheers

Jodi

Willow · Post by **Willow** » 26 Sep 2007, 07:16

Jodi when you said your OH's family used to use 'one of those drinker thingies' did you mean the 'upside down rabbit ball drinker' ??
ref the 'humidity thing, its only what I've read several times during my pre chook research era....

melons · Post by **melons** » 26 Sep 2007, 08:36

oo I've not read about humidity, I've put one of those upsidedown bell waterers in my hen house, a really small one, along with an extra bowl of feed, as one of my girls likes a lie in, for ever :oops:

she eats the food but the water is never touched, I've left it as an experiment for winter freezing potential problems, as an emergency drink, I'll have to play around with that idea, let me know what you find out about humidity, it is well ventilated.

mel

Jodi · Post by **Jodi** » 27 Sep 2007, 01:43

Hi Willow,yes, the chooks had to peck the end to get a drink. It was quite a large one and they had it suspended from the roof of the coup.

OH said it took them no time at all to figure it out, and from what I've seen from my girls, they are very resourceful when it comes to getting a drink. I've seen mine drink the tiny droplets of water that drips off the fencing wire after a rain.

I'll be getting one but will leave their bowl of water in the coup as a back up until I'm confident they are using the other.

Re: humidity - I've never considered, or even heard about this being a problem until now. I reckon it wouldn't be a problem providing there is ventilation.

cheers
Jodi[/quote]

Post by **Richard** » 27 Sep 2007, 07:45

Interesting. I've tried a lot of things, but not the Rabbit type.

Theire natural way of drinking seems to be = dip -scoop - hold head up - swallow! so I don't know if they'd adapt to it.

What I have found is that if the containers too small, they'll tip in over and if it's too big, they sit on the egde wrong way round and poo in it!!

Let us know with the experimenting. I tend to go down the Jodi route, but the smaller it is, the more you have to fill it up!

Needless to say, the chooks go down the 'Can't beat a good dirty puddle' route'. Which, again, would be their natural way.