Water all over the place.

[Graham K]

Hi all,

I have yet another unusual question about my crazy birds,

I have a "standard" drinking fountain, bottle thing (see picture) that we are having to refill at least twice a day, ah! the weather I hear you all say, WRONG came the reply, when it was hot three or four times a day,

My ladies have got into the habit of knocking over (if it's on the floor) or leaning against the drinker if it's hanging up (as in photo), the result being a very quickly emptied drinker and a very wet floor (bark chip and muddy puddle). I am becoming increasingly worried about the wet floor bit, soggy wet feet can't be a good thing, and I'm not sure if they are actually drinking enough.

Has anyone else had/have the same problem or does anyone have any tips on either stopping them knocking into it or over or how to "nail" it to the floor.

Thanks again, Graham.

[roitelet]

I've given up on drinkers and just use an old washing up bowl!

[di]

Snap!...I find drinkers a right royal pain in the bum.
Ours have plastic dog bowls...they're sturdy enough for the chooks to not be able to tip them over and also far easier to clean.
They do still make a bit of a mess with them...once they're no longer thirsty they have a habit of just splashing it at each other(and me) with their beaks

[RichmondHens]

I use washing up bowls too. Full to the brim they hold enough for at least 10 chooks on a hot day and if you have the naughty sort of chicken that likes to sit on the rim they usually stand the weight of that too although you can put a big clean smooth stone in the bottom to weight it down if necessary.

[sheena]

I used mine for well over a year, and it's still going strong - well it would if I was to continue using it. I had the same problem with the swinging action, water everywhere... on the floor, the legs would collapse when they knocked it.

Gave up on it, and they now have a trough connected to a waterbutt that I fill with the hose. Constant supply of water, but without the mess. They don't make as much mess with that and I noticed the fly population diminished a little too.

[Graham K]

Glad I'm not the only one, I'm going to try the washing up bowl idea with a brick or something and a pipe so I can fill it from the outside.

Many thanks, Graham.

[its hilly]

I had the same problem with the bigger ones. I still hang them but with a concrete block underneath. They cant knock them off the block because of the rope, and they cant tip them because of the block.
I did have a couple of washing-up bowls on the yard, but they never worked for me. Either the flippin geese fill them with mud or tip them up, or I end up going down in the evening to find a chook in them, with water everywhere. I've got two who must think they are ducks..lol. And yes they can get out. But it still puts water all over so would only soak a run. Still tried it with snow on the yard so I decided drinkers were better than pneumonia.