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

[alih]

do anyone else's chickens ignore the superglug completely? I bought one recently as I increased my little flock but the girls just ignore it and it never empties - they drink masses from the old glug I have outside the run and form flowerpots etc...will they get used to it or shall I give it up as a bad job?

[TheChookKeeper]

My cube came with the superglug, but I don't think my girls had seen one before.

 

They didn't really know what to do, and so used to climb up on the ladder, and drink from the top.

 

I have no idea if it helped, but one day I sat there for a while, as they seemed interested in what I was doing, and I just tapped the "nipples" on the bottom of the superglug, when they saw water coming out, they pecked it off my hands, and after about 10 minutes one had figured it out.

Once she got the hang of it they were all at it!

 

That said, I have now lowered the superglug down, so they can drink out the top - to be honest, they seem to prefer it that way!

[AJuff]

I know it's going off thread but what size is a Super glug and how high off the ground can they be?

[alih]

it's big! Takes loads of water which is why I got it. I have an eglu so hang it above the door bit- the little drinky bits hang down to just the right height then. I have tried tapping them when he chikens are watching and have seen them take the odd peck but they drink grat big nouthfuls from the glug.maybe I shal hag he superglug down so they can drink from th top - good idea!

[TheChookKeeper]

Alih,

 

The only things you need to watch out for when lowering it down, is that it is actually low enough for the chooks to get at the water (even when the level is down a bit) - when mine was too high still, they would strain to get the water when it dropped below about half way, and a couple ended up with little marks around their necks, made it look like they had lost the feathers.

 

I lowered it right down to the floor, and after a few days, they seemed much better looking!

 

Also - if you move it too close to the floor (swings and roundabouts, I know!), be careful the "nipples" don't touch the floor, else all the water will just drip out the bottom, creating a bog in your run!!!

[alih]

ok thanks for the tip - have just been out tapping away to see if the girls have any sense at all and can grasp the notion but they just look at me as if I'm bonkers!

[ajm200]

Ours ignored the superglug for weeks before getting the hang of it. In the end I invested in one fo the cheap bell drinkers.

 

We found that tapping the pins at the bottom didn't really help. (I do think our hens can be particularly dumb when it suits them ).

 

They only showed an interest when my son stood with his hands in the top, letting the water slowly dribble down the sides. After about 20 mins, they suddenly worked it out and have used it ever since.

[Valkyrie]

TheChookKeeper that is a really interesting tip - I will definitely try it. Although my girls figured it out quickly - it drips, so they were catching the drops at first. They much prefer the rainwater in an old casserole dish in the border (originally put there for the wild birds and hedgehogs). I am going to lower the Superglug because I am sure they are not drinking enough, even if all I can hear at times is the nipple pecking.

[Olly]

Mine wouldn't use it at first - I kept putting in a second supply because I thought they'd die of thirst. I've posted this before, but I had to resort to watching them with binoculars from the bedroom window! and of course discovered they could use it perfectly well. If you put an 'easier' source in they'll use it.

 

I love the Superglug because it doesn't get as messy as the ordinary Glug, and I don't worry about it running dry. I was told it should be high enough for them to reach with their necks stretched - so I hang mine above door height in the Cube.

[alih]

am reassured olly, thanks - perhaps I will remove the alternative when I can stalk them to check they know what they're doing before we go away! I never seemed to be this concerned about my children's habits!!

[Chickvic]

I must have reasonably clever chickens! We had our superglug delivered on Friday, we installed it and I called the girls over with the 'treat' noise. I flicked the bottom of one nipple and they all drank straight away. Opal has even figured out that if she holds the nipple with the bottom of her beak she can get a good drink of water without the constant pecking at it.

[alih]

could you get them to have a word???

[Valkyrie]

This morning I lowered the Superglug and they all dived in and drank for ages. Now I feel guilty that they weren't having enough before. I'm definitely going to put it lower in future.

[koo2cat]

My cube came with the Superglug and my 4 hate using it so I ended up buying a glug instead!