Water drinker issues...any ideas?

[DaisyDiamond]

Can anyone recommend any solutions to my problem....

My girls are in an enclosed run while I am at work and I have come home a few times to find they have knocked their drinker over. I only have a couple of chooks so I have a plastic gravity drinker. I have tried putting it on a brick/on a small paving slab/moulded into the earth, and they still knock it over.

I am worried about dehydrated chickens so have added a bunny water bottle to the side of the run which I have seen them work but they don't generally choose to drink from it - but feel at least they always have access to water.

With the warm weather coming up (hopefully) I really want to sort this. Has anyone got any suggestions to keep the drinker upright? Or an alternative drinker option for a small coop/set up?

[Bephlam]

I have a mushroom drinker...and I hang it in the run. It's ideal - stops them knocking it over and prevents them filling it with mud and all sorts of rubbish.

Can you hang yours?

[shirlthegirl43]

Hens can drink from a bowl or pretty much any vessel that they can get their heads in. Maybe you need a wider container so they can't knock it over so easily.

[frias]

I have green and white drinker that I hang up. Also bunny bottles and a wide bucket, 99p from Wilkos which all six of my girls seem to prefer and it doesn't get knocked over.

[Hungry Hannah]

I have a gravity/mushroom drinker which they're not keen on, but it stays there, also use a couple of empty plastic take-away cartons and a big dish/saucer that is supposed to go under a pot plant, so if they knock one over (which they do!) have still got something there!

[DaisyDiamond]

Hens can drink from a bowl or pretty much any vessel that they can get their heads in. Maybe you need a wider container so they can't knock it over so easily.

Thanks everyone. The drinker I have does have a wide bottom but seems to flip up as soon as one of them steps on the lip of the base. Probably too light.

I have been to 3 places and not noticed any water drinkers that hang up - I'll look again as they sound ideal. I'll try another heavier bowl too - the last one went over every other minute so I gave up.

[frias]

I have found the drinkers for sale where I have bought sacks of pellets. Also available on ebay. Sorry I'm not clever enough to post piccies or links. I really do find a large bucket is easiest for me and prefered by the girls though.

[MaureenHall]

I just use the flower buckets you get free from the supermarket (just ask nicely and they give them away). Once they're full of water the chooks can't tip them over and there's enough room for them all to get their heads in at the same time if they want to. I've got 2 in each run

[julesapple]

Thanks everyone. The drinker I have does have a wide bottom but seems to flip up as soon as one of them steps on the lip of the base. Probably too light.

I have been to 3 places and not noticed any water drinkers that hang up - I'll look again as they sound ideal. I'll try another heavier bowl too - the last one went over every other minute so I gave up.

My drinker is on two house bricks. This seems to lift it far enough off the ground to stop my four girlies putting their feet in it and tipping it up.

Jules

[Maddie106]

I have my drinker in the outside run on a breeze block, but they still get mud in it!

I put a HEAVY bowl of water overnight for them in the inside run, because they get up ages before me at the present time. Wilkos sell heavy pottery dog dishes that they can't tip over

[RichmondHens]

I'd go for the heavy dog bowls - I use the small version for broodies and chicks. They shouldn't tip over. For a larger run go for an old washing up bowl - much cheaper!

[Suechooks]

Pottery dog bowls
Green and white drinkers which have legs and also can be hung up
Buckets standing inside a tyre to stop it being knocked over and also in winter stuffed with straw to stop the water freezing

[frias]

Buckets standing inside a tyre to stop it being knocked over and also in winter stuffed with straw to stop the water freezing

Hey Sue that's a brilliant idea. At long last I have found a trailer shop that is willing to let me have old tyres. I like the buckets because the handle is easier for me to carry. Carrying bowls often ends up with most of the water on me!

[Suechooks]

Hey Sue that's a brilliant idea. At long last I have found a trailer shop that is willing to let me have old tyres. I like the buckets because the handle is easier for me to carry. Carrying bowls often ends up with most of the water on me!

Any tyre place should be delighted to let you have tyres as it costs them about £1.25 to dispose of them! I'm a great tyre user - early potatoes being the favorite! They can also provide good hidey holes for chooks being bullied!

[Flummery]

I have a wider but shallower than normal bucket. It can be stood on by 3 chickens at once without tipping - ask me how I know. It can also be fallen in without coming above their feathery thighs - again - voice of experience! It's just a touch too high to get woodchip kicked in it. When they are out on the grass they have a small muchroom shaped drinker on legs. They are always supervised when they're out of the run though - easy as I'm retired. They bloke I bought the girls from had them in their runs and I bought one.