Stedic Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 Hello everyone. My ex-batts are coming on Saturday and I've freed up their quarantine/build-up by moving my two posh girls to the new WIR and . Its gone really well, they found their way to bed without help on the first night and layed in the right place the following morning. I've been trying to introduce them to the Superglug for a couple of days, but without any real success. I tried tapping it with my finger, tapping it with a stick etc. They drip the drops from my finger or the stick, and occasionally peck the nipple, but don't seem to get any water from it. I've moved it gradually higher to try and improve the angle, so that they push the metal up rather than peck across it, the top of the glug is probably 3ft off the ground now and they can still reach it. Until now I've left their old standard glug in so they can drink - do you think I need to remove it to up the ante as it were? Is there anything else I can try to train them? I really don't want to have to buy new drinkers but if they don't get the hang of it pronto I'll need some for the ex-batts. Unless the ex-batts could figure it out? Seems unkind to them though! Any help hugely appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicken bark Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 I'd try them with only the superglug for a few hours. You could always put the glug back in if you think they've not had anything to drink. The ex-bats might get on with it straight away. I find that some of my hens like to use it and others don't bother. They initially started using it when I overfilled it and they were sipping the drips than ran down the sides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figarogir1 Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 My girls don't like the superglug so I put it lower down and they drink out of the top you just have to make sure that the nipple bits aren't touching the floor - it will leak if they are! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stedic Posted September 8, 2010 Author Share Posted September 8, 2010 I think I'll leave it in for them tonight. I'm off tomorrow so if they've not cracked it in a few hours I can put the original glug in. If it doesn't work I guess I'll put the glug in permantly and either try the ex-batts on the superglug when they arrive or buy them a gravity feeder. Its a shame - the suerglug seems to be the only thing designed by omlet that isn't amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 Persevere with it! If it's their only source of water they will use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 My girls don't like the superglug so I put it lower down and they drink out of the top you just have to make sure that the nipple bits aren't touching the floor - it will leak if they are! Me too (mine aren't ex batts) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stedic Posted September 9, 2010 Author Share Posted September 9, 2010 My plan is to persevere with it this morning, but if they've not got the hang of it by 11 or so I'll give them their glug back. Hopefully the posh girls will work it out, but if not I'll put the suerglug in with the ex-batts when they arrive, but have a gravity feeder on standby in case they don't get it straight away. If no one gets the hang of it I'm going to have to order some more glugs and feeders I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 I hoped that my younger girls would use the Super Glug when we got them, because it makes it easier when we are away and we only have one visit by a pet carer each day. I gave up in the end and they use a normal glug most of the time and a couple of them use the Super Glug occasionally, it just stays in the run as a back up water source. I wish they would use it because they get the Glug so filthy by the end of the day, I think they all wash their beaks in it and it gets full of soil and bits of pellet and has to be washed out each evening. My older girls don't get their Glug dirty, the youngers ones seem to dip their heads into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 they get the Glug so filthy by the end of the day, I think they all wash their beaks in it and it gets full of soil and bits of pellet and has to be washed out each evening. My glug is always grimy, there is never a time when it hasn't got aubiouse or a feather or other unpleasantness floating around in it (my Goldline washes her feet in it ) but I am ashamed to say I only change the water every three or so days. I had been changing it more frequently until I noticed that every time I let them out they made a rush to drink any old green slimy water that had collected in our garden pots, or old bird bath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 They should get used to it if its the only option I was under the impression that battery hens have this sort of water system anyway but via pipes and nipples but I could be wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stedic Posted September 10, 2010 Author Share Posted September 10, 2010 I'm really not sure how they're doing to be honest. One of my posh girls definately has the idea, but the other, well I'm not sure, she'll peck at it but not for any length of time. I put their glug in for half an hour last night and they both drank loads. Redwing - I've just done some research and it seems that batteries do drink from a similar system, so I might see if I can fit the Superglug into the Eglu and try them on that tomorrow, allowing my originals to go back to their old glug. I went to Pets At Home last night for the first small bag of ex-batt crumb - as a safety/back up plan I bought one of their cheapest feeders and drinkers. That way I have an emergency drinker if no one takes to the superglug OR I need to add extra feeding points to reduce bullying. I've kept the receipt though, in case these silly birds decide the play along with my original plans! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 Someone on the US forum threaded cherry tomatoes onto the outlets and the hens soon got the idea. Might be worth a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 The Superglug is tricky to fit to an Eglu but if you fiddle a bit it will go above the door on the run end or at an angle on the uppermost side of the run (though if you put it there its angled so needs more regular filling) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimnpaula Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 Just to say, my ex bats got the hang of the superglug straight away so it wouldn't surprise me if they had something similar 'inside'. P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stedic Posted September 10, 2010 Author Share Posted September 10, 2010 Thank you all so much for your help. I've formed a final plan now! I've seen both my girls use the Superglug today, but when they had a chance they went straight to the glug. Looking at various websites and suppliers, it seems that ex-batts generally have a nipple type drinker in their cages. So with the above in mind, I've given the posh girls their glug back and fitted the Superglug in the Eglu where the ex-batts will be. Its fitted above the door so should be high enough, I think. This way the old girls are definately getting enough water, so can concentrate my fretting on the ex-batts. If they're used to a nipple drinker it might actually be better for them to use a Superglug, and I can transfer it to the WIR when they're integrated. If they struggle too much for any reason then I've got the gravity feeder and drinker on standby. Simples! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicken bark Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 I always feel happier and more relaxed when I've got a plan formed in my head. Good luck with it. I hope the ex-bats settle in well for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stedic Posted September 10, 2010 Author Share Posted September 10, 2010 Perhaps I should type up my plan and place a laminated copy in each run, so that the girls can follow it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicken bark Posted September 11, 2010 Share Posted September 11, 2010 Perhaps I should type up my plan and place a laminated copy in each run, so that the girls can follow it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
