Single hen

[BethBubbles]

Hi all

 

I was just wondering if anyone could give me some advice on the container I use to give water to my chicks.

 

Before we got them I was advised to given them a container that sits on the floor and slowly lets out water throughout the day to stop them drowning. When we got the chicks at three weeks, this seemed to be working fine. However, they are now six weeks old and much more active and during the day kick all their bedding into the water tray.

 

I give them fresh water at 8am when I leave for work but they do not get their water refreshed until around 5pm when my boyfriend gets home. Usually by this time the water is clogged up with straw. Since I don't know what time they are doing this I'm concerned they're not getting enough water for part of the day.

 

They would clearly have enough water if this wasn't happening as there's always lots left, even on the days it's not clogged up. It's also destroying our sink as I run to change the water and that gets clogged up with the straw too!!!

 

I decided to try getting another water container and bought the smaller glug from the omlet site. However, it looked much smaller in the picture! I'm not sure the smaller chicks would be able to reach it and therefore may fly up and fall in. As people say, drowning is a danger in chicks and it would even be bad to let them get too wet.

 

Does anyone have any advice? At six weeks, might they be robust enough not to fall in the larger containers or are we better to stick with the smaller one with the danger they may go without water for a few hours a day.

 

As you can see, quite a conundrum! Any advice would be much appreciated. Just want to make sure we're doing the right thing for the little cuties!

[Carol U]

Hi Beth,

 

Is it possible to raise your water container just a little and continue to raise it as they grow? For my big girls I put their water pot on an upturned flower pot to keep it out of the flying hemcore! A shallow upturned dish might work for you.

[BethBubbles]

That is such a good suggestion. That way I can slowly raise it up and eventually swap it with the omlet version. Let's just hope they don't knock it over! Thank you!

[BethBubbles]

We also got the omlet feeder. Do you think they're ready for that? I doubt they could really fall in it as such as it wouldn't be such as issue if they did since they would just get a big mouth of food!

[Headchicken]

Just in case you need another idea, I've switched over to a gerbil/hamster/rabbit type waterer (the kind that hangs on the side of the crate, with the rolling ball at the tip). It took a few days for them to get the hang of it (they are 19 days old today), during which time I kept the old chick waterer in place as well as the hanging "nipple-type" waterer. Now they all drink from it readily and I don't have to clean the waterer 3 times a day!!!

 

My girls will go in a cube, so I'm hoping this training will help them transisition over to the Super Glug.

[BethBubbles]

Another brilliant idea! Ours will be living the life of luxury in a cube too so they may as well get used to that type of water dispenser. I'll put the current waterer on a block until I can get it. Thanks both!

[Guest]

hi i raise chicks from day oldi use waterfeeder that hangs from roof on string then you raise or lowwer as req chicks cant drown as only get water due to desien or use water container onlegs small or large all of int ernet cheap i also use old cleaned 25 litre conainer like chemical type drill hole in botom /side insert car valve into hole tight fit fill with water remove vale before filling fit cap when full open cap top remove valve cap hey presto water runs out to fill water containers when full replace valve cap /top ready supply water

[TAJ]

Like you mine got messy - started fine, then I raise it slightly as they got older, but 3 weeks I was cleaning it out twice a day. I went for 1.5l hanging chcik waterer and it solved all the problems - mine is this one: http://www.domesticfowltrust.co.uk/products/info_hppd1l.html and I got a chick size hanging feeder: http://www.domesticfowltrust.co.uk/products/info_tf1_5.html these ones are fine, but be careful in some ranges the smaller 'chick' sizes do not hang, though bigger sizes do.

 

Tracy

[BethBubbles]

Thanks everyone!

 

I raised the current feeder on top of a box when I got home yesterday and that seemed to work although I watched them for two hours to check all of them could get to it! I might go for one of the hanging feeders though as that seems like a good option.

 

I also put in the omlet grub feeder for their food and they could all use that. Much better and hopefully will stop poo in food! They're definitely too small for the glug though so I think I will give them a few weeks before swapping them to that.

 

They do seem to grow so dramatically day by day!

[..lay a little egg for me]

I have read that the water container should be raised as they grow so that it is level with their backs. That is the height I have got my water container for my big girls and it keeps nice and clean (mind you they now seem to prefer to drink from the watering can whenever they are free-ranging, so I have to keep it filled up for them . They do look funny with their heads deep in the watering can

[BethBubbles]

Aww bless, that's so funny! I think I will definitely get the hanging feeder for water. Good tip about the level it should be at.

[BethBubbles]

Just put in a new waterer - went for the one designed for rabbits. They love it! They instantly seemed to know what to do, it takes up less room, plus they seem to quite enjoy it. Thanks for the tip!