Chicken Waterer Gets A Fix

The chickens manage to turn the top over most days, so I  attached the chain hanging next to the fence to a wire with a dog clip in hopes of keeping the top right side up. If the hens still manage to flip the top I'll try raising the lid up a few inches.


The lid is there to keep the chickens from roosting on the waterer and pooing in the water.


Screamer is the white Brahma and she is telling me off. I think she is the boss hen. At least she acts like she is in charge and she is telling me to buzz off.


The top does keep  a lot of the dust and sticks and stuff the hens scratch up out of the water.

But it still does get some dirt in it that I remove by turning the water all the way on and running the hose  in the waterer.

Here is a photo of how the waterer is hooked up to the water faucet. It is nice not having to carry water around.

Coop and pen cleaning time is coming up again. I'd like to wait until we have a rain to cut down on the amount of dust I'll raise when I start raking and shoveling all the chicken dirt. Well, waiting for the first good rain is my excuse for not working out there now.

The faucet is wrapped with foam and tape to protect the pipe from winter snow and ice. I'm going to have to remember to empty the waterer before the water freezes. I'm sure that water freezing is what cracked the old waterer.

Peek at the Past

Chicken Herding Video

(September 5, 2009)

[3 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

The Automatic Chicken Waterer Is Installed

The leaky waterer is the one hanging and the area looks dry because the water has been turned off but not disconnected. I had to bring out a large pliers to get the hose loose.





This is the closest I have seen a chicken get to the new waterer and that is as close as she got.

I misunderstood when Kristine said I could hook the waterer on the fence. It does have hooks, but they are for hooking over the type of wire on hog panels.




I used the wing nuts and metal washers provided to attach it to the anchor fence.


I think I will add some more chicken wire  above the waterer so a raccoon can't wait for a chicken to come for a drink and then reach in and grab the hen.







To discourage the chickens from roosting and fouling the water I drilled some holes in the top of the old waterer and hung it over the new setup. I may have to lower the top a bit more if the hens mess up the water.

Kristine tried to find a poultry waterer, but this is all they had and I think this is really an all purpose waterer that could be used for dogs, cats, etc. But, at least it doesn't leak.

I will post some more photos of chickens actually using the waterer when the hens decide they want to drink from the new fountain.


And I would like to post a video of the hens drinking (thanks for the idea John at Going Gently) if I can figure out how with the new editor. Of course, I could always go back and use the old editor and see if that will work.

No painting today. I didn't feel very good or like it was a good day for me to be up on a ladder. I worked around the house doing laundry and cut some plexiglass for the computer counter top... that's another post.

Peek at the Past

The window seat is finished now.

(August 19, 2009)

[5 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

New Automatic Chicken Waterer

Kristine brought home a new automatic waterer to replace the one we have that has a slow leak. The leak probably happened because of the times the temps dropped and the water froze and cracked the plastic.

I painted all day in Kristine's room today and my arm is a bit tired, so maybe tomorrow I'll take the day off and spend it with the chickens and install the new waterer.

This one is made to hang by slipping the back over a fence board. I hope it will reach the gate because I'm sure it will fit on one of the supports. If not, then I will get to do a bit of building with a 2x4 to get it to hang properly.

I would like to build something to keep the chickens from roosting on the box and pooping in it. I'll see what I can come up with tomorrow.

I'll have to remember to empty this waterer when the temps drop. The chickens would rather have me bring them warm water anyway.

The owl is really supposed to be in the garden, but we don't want to scare the birds in the green garden so it is a house owl until I ever get an actual veggie garden that really needs the birds frightened away.

Thank you for the comments! At the rate I'm going I worry it is going to be winter before I have time to answer and read blogs.  Well, until it starts raining anyway.

Peek at the Past

Climber still needs painting.

(August 18, 2009)

[3 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles