Drinkers -what's wrong with just a plastic bowl?

[chrismahon]

I'm posting this question having pulled my back again, after moving the 'bell' type of plastic drinker into one of our low runs. We have them in every run and most have coloured plastic balls inside to show the water level at a glance from a distance. Most are also 9 litres capacity so quite heavy to lift and turn over.

Why do we need special drinkers at all? Some of the enclosure areas have a small plastic washing up bowl in them and the chickens are happier using them than the 'bell' drinkers. The only disadvantage I can see is that the cockerel's wattles get wet and that would be no good in Winter. We also have bantams that can't reach into a big bowl and will stand in a small one. But in Summer it is going to be so much easier to regularly walk round with a watering can and just fill the bowls in the runs by putting the spout through the mesh and pouring. No bending down and no awkward lifting.

Am I missing something here?

 

[BabyBantam]

I have a china cat food bowl I used, as I sat (don't ask) on my plastic drinker a while ago. It worked fine but got very muddy. Not sure why?

 

[Marigold]

Maybe it depends on whether they have bedding or dry soil they will scratch up into the bowl. I find the most effective way of providing water that stays clean is yo place the drinker up quite high on a concrete block, more or less at head level or just below for the smallest bird. Otherwise it gets contaminated very quickly.

 

[MrsBiscuit]

As you say, it wouldn't be much good in winter, if space is tight, for chicks, or for birds with crests. I suppose the biggest downside is that the greater surface area is far more likely to become dirty - either via the helpfulness of the birds especially if they are in a static run with shavings or something on the floor, or just having leaves, dirt and assorted debris blow into it. Having said all that, my birds free range quite a bit, and if it is hot I station miscellaneous open topped containers all over the place (mostly under bushes) so they can find them and cool down. Not had a problem yet

 

[dinosaw]

I think the main aim of purpose built drinkers is to keep muck out of the water really, I suppose it wouldn't be too difficult to achieve the same effect by drilling 4 holes into the top of your washing up bowls and suspending them at a suitable height so that the chickens couldn't scratch stuff into into them.

 

[chrismahon]

Thanks all for the feedback. Looks like we should try a few and see how we get on. We have slices of tree trunk with the drinkers on at the moment, so perhaps we could still use those to increase the height.

 

[Nick]

My free ranging chickens always ignore the nice clean water in their drinker, and insist on drinking repulsive goo that has collected in bits of plastic etc.

 

[Nitram]

My free ranging chickens always ignore the nice clean water in their drinker, and insist on drinking repulsive goo that has collected in bits of plastic etc.

:lol: LOL I can totally relate, but my dogs are the ones! Nice fresh water......, but if I leave the lid up on the toilet that to them is a dream come true! :lol:

 

[valeriebutterley]

I'll tell you what is wrong with a plastic bowl, you don't get to drop and smash your brand new 6ltr drinker on a concrete path on its first outing on its way to the girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[BabyBantam]

Oh No

 

[valeriebutterley]

:evil: Oh, yes................

 

[chrismahon]

Oh dear, bit of a disaster to say the least Valerie. I bought 3 x 6 litre bowls off the local market for €6. Hopefully they will do the job.

 

[valeriebutterley]

On it's maiden voyage down to the girls, it fell from my hands and smashed to bits, you can image, or can you?, me in fluffy dressing gown and jim jams, (and wellies) soaked, cold, AND needing another 6ltr drinker!!
My girls also have a bowl in their run but seem to prefer a hanging drinker, I guess its all part of being a well brought up chicken!

 

[chrismahon]

Minutes after my last post I went to do the grain treat run. Chester, our accidental Orpington x Wyandotte, got rather excited and trod on the edge of a bowl. Of course with his weight it tipped over and that's one thing I didn't think about. Drinkers are very stable, bowls are not.

 

[Margaid]

You really need to use plastic dog bowls - the sort that have a wider base than top, then they won't tip over. It means the hens have to stretch further to get to the water though

I fed in flat plastic trays as Cocky didn't like the feeder. They were the bits off a cheap circular plastic table/trolley and were only flipped up if I trod on the edge, but they would be too shallow for water.

 

[chrismahon]

Hi Margaid. I will have a look at plastic dog bowls. Summer is well on the way and they are drinking a lot already, so capacity is going to be an issue. I've taken the centre roof supports out of the runs to improve access. They were fitted mainly to take the weight of snow, which is something we don't get here.

 

[Icemaiden]

How's your back doing, by the way?

 

[Margaid]

You'll probably find you need two or even three in each run then as they don't hold very much.

 

[chrismahon]

Our runs are too small Margaid, so 2 or 3 in there won't be possible. But they have washing up bowls in the sub-enclosures which take about 10 litres and none of those tip over until they are nearly empty, by which time they need cleaning anyway.

My back is slowly improving Icemaiden, but I am still unable to poo pick and get into the runs. Chiropractor tells me there may be some damage but that it will stabilise in a few…………. YEARS!!!

 

[ajs82]

I find using bowls is better as long as you change the water often to prevent it getting dirty