4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[chickenlass]

Do you think that my new Ex Batts which are coming on Sunday will be OK drinking from several large Bunny bottle water containers [hope you know what I mean..the sort of plastic bottle that fits to a rabbits hutch?? ]I wondered if they would be OK as I am reluctant to put water bowls down on the ground for them as my exsisiting chickens just fill those with aubiose and anything else that they can fling about I don't have a spare Glug and I have 3 bunny bottles

[Olly]

Don't see why not. I believe Claret uses bunny bottles for her chooks.

[mrsm_jones]

I have a superglug, and it is basically a big trough with three little teats on the bottom, the same style as bunny bottles but slightly smaller. As long as the ball bit in the tube wasn't too heavy, it would be ok.

[The Dogmother]

Don't see why not. I believe Claret uses bunny bottles for her chooks.

 

I do

 

The ex-batts will be used to drinking from some sort of drip feeder, so would probably prefer it to a glug type drinker.

[chickenlass]

Ah thats great then...many thanks for your replies.

[alih]

does anyone have experience of switching from glugs to drip feeders? Have just got 2 more chooks and ordered a big glug to cope with the demands! will they just cotton on?

[mrsm_jones]

does anyone have experience of switching from glugs to drip feeders? Have just got 2 more chooks and ordered a big glug to cope with the demands! will they just cotton on?

 

Mine did. It never even occurred to me that they wouldn't!

[The Dogmother]

When I eventually got fed up with dirty water in the glugs, I just rigged up a couple of 1 litre bunny bottles, grabbed the smartest chook and offered up her beak to the nipple a few times until she got the idea... the others just copied her.

[alih]

thanks guys - perhaps i am understimating the intelligence of my chickens!!

[Olly]

I was convinced that mine were not using the Superglug drinker, so I kept filling up a 'peanut' full of water. Eventually I had to resort to spying on them with binoculars and discovered that they could all use it, they just preferred the lazy option of drinking out of a Glug.

 

I do worry sometimes about what the neighbours think ... first thing in the morning I always go into the back bedroom and pick up the 'bins to take a look at the girls!

[Guest]

get an empty ice cream tub or similar, punch a couple of holes in it and use cable ties to attach it to the wire/mesh of the run?

[The Dogmother]

Mine far prefer to drink out of muddy puddles and drain covers

[chickenlass]

I was convinced that mine were not using the Superglug drinker, so I kept filling up a 'peanut' full of water. Eventually I had to resort to spying on them with binoculars and discovered that they could all use it, they just preferred the lazy option of drinking out of a Glug.

 

I do worry sometimes about what the neighbours think ... first thing in the morning I always go into the back bedroom and pick up the 'bins to take a look at the girls!

[Duckmomma]

Confession: I Thought it was a srange question when I read it

I kinda thought Nah, chickens don't drink from bunny bottles

Just goes to show you learn something new every day

Now I'm getting excited

I have three Bantam chicks and I'm sick of cleaning and filling up the water bowl all day long, I might try them with a bottle

[The Dogmother]

I was fed up with it too - they seemed to be washing their feet in the glug!

[Duckmomma]

Have to say Ducks are worse

[mayflower]

When we first got the hens, they would drink from the superglug....being used to that kind of system. However, I had a feeling that the hens were dehydrated. So now, I use a three foot long plant holde/trough. It stands against a brick wall and has bricks in front of it to prevent them tipping it over. Since using this, the hens are drinking much more and no longer appear dehydrated. They love putting their beaks right into the water. Other people I know who have ex bats also say that, they love water, especialy when filling up their container. They love to be splashed!. Ok, I have to empty and refill it every day...which is a bit of a chore....3 foot container holds alot of water, but they really love using it. Sometimes I wonder if battery hens in their cages are sprayed...with disinfectant and that this is the reason why they love the feel of water. Does anyone know if this is true?

[Mrs Slats]

3 of our ex bats are fine with the super glug, Paxo (typically ) just stabs at it and doesn't seem to get much to drink. When I put a bowl down she'll knock the lot back so we've ordered the smaller bowl style glug.

 

I've been putting a bowl of water down in this heat just to be on the safe side

[chickenlass]

anks for your replies...I'll give it a go with the bunny bottles but may put an additional container down as well just until I am sure they are all using the bottles oK

[jlo]

It is reassuring to hear that other glugs get mucky. I have been changing mine daily and was quite surprised at the amount of gunk in the bottom. I know that there is a suggestion that the girls can be left for a couple of days on their own but I really wouldn't fancy leaving the glug for that long