McGraw2601 Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Hi, I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this. I bought 2 XL water bottles that you would use on a rabbit hutch after seeing my ladies use it when they where being hen sat for 2 weeks by a breeder. I attached them at the appropriate height and I have seen them using them. However over the last few days we have had some very wet weather and puddles have formed in the run which the ladies have now taken to drinking from. I am concerned about them drinking dirty water, this was in part the reason I moved away from the Glug. Are they just being lazy in using the puddle because the bottle takes a bit more work or are they not getting enough water from the bottles? Has anyone else had this kind of issue. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Oh dear, you will soon get used to the fact they like to eat/drink out of the most inappropriate places. My ladies have a glug and a gravity water container but love nothing more than drinking from puddles and often the drops off the side of the cube. I have a litter tray filled with water and they love drinking from that especially when it's got rainwater in it. They are funny creatures:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McGraw2601 Posted September 19, 2013 Author Share Posted September 19, 2013 Oh yeah that's right I forgot too mention the sucking rain drops off the run as well. Good to hear other ladies out there are doing it as well. I got the bottles as I thought it was better for them, I would hate to think they were gasping of thirst. Thanks for responding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Yep, I have 26 chooks and they love rainwater out of puddles or wherever it gathers around the garden despite having bowls of fresh water. Perfectly normal chicken behaviour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackian Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Mine do that all the time ..and get the water off the wire in the run . I think it is because it is pure with bugs in ..No addatives like our water . I love watching them when they lift their heads back and let the water go down . You wait till they swallow a mouse or suck a worm down whole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 When I got my chooks I was told they will only drink fresh water every day. Not true. Just like dogs and cats , they much prefer puddles and naturally occurring rain containers. Also, like cows and horses, if they've been free ranging on wet grass, they don't even bother to drink. They don't need to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 "Why are they drinking from puddles?" .... because they're perverse, and because they can! My dogs do the same, they also prefer horse poo to fresh lamb bones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McGraw2601 Posted September 19, 2013 Author Share Posted September 19, 2013 He he, all true points everyone. I guess it should have been obvious really, animals do the strangest things. I have two very well fed dogs who have pulled me off my feet for a piece of mouldy bread someone has left for the birds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 Agreed, my chooks like filthy puddles and drops of rainwater on the run mesh far more than the drinker full of water I give them (which thy also get in a filthy state ). I wonder if they can taste the chemicals in tap water and therefore prefer rainwater? Certainly I think dogs do - Tango likes a muddy puddle more than her bowl of clean water in the kitchen too.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...