The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Fleecewife on December 23, 2018, 12:16:51 pm
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Does anyone have any good ideas of a suitably heavy weight water container for our four geese at night? In the day ours have access to a small pond and to a dog bath of clean water which they love. We want them to have water at night to drink and currently they have a low bucket on a large tray. They all try to get in it for an extra bath and the house ends up soaking. We need something heavy that they can't tip, which they can get their heads into but not their whole bodies. They are Shetlands so quite small and their house is an 8x6 converted garden shed, with straw bedding. The place has to be cleaned out every second day or it becomes a swamp and the floor will rot. Help!
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Why do they need water at night? I don't leave water for my ducks and hens at night and they're fine. They don't even rush out for a drink in the morning
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Why do they need water at night? I don't leave water for my ducks and hens at night and they're fine. They don't even rush out for a drink in the morning
We sometimes put them to bed before dusk, and don't always let them out at first light, especially in the summer, so they need water. The hens have an ordinary drinker, for the same reasons. Occasionally, if we are not expecting to be home before dark, all the poultry has to stay in all day.
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Would something like this sheep water trough (http://www.molevalleyfarmers.com/mvf/store/products/general-galvanised-water-trough-14l?gclid=Cj0KCQiAgf3gBRDtARIsABgdL3nJ4YRjY2o3_WOQ_GTehn07SMYijjm3WDaFWnsxHhoK3z_MJAv_9GEaAktXEALw_wcB#fo_c=2563&fo_k=d804e272d0e4738e1af237a04fb9605e&fo_s=gplauk?_$ja=tsid:~cid:1435637745~agid:55619801989~tid:aud-528458274680:pla-558800837025~crid:275514280459~nw:g~rnd:16685910154451951578~dvc:t~adp:1o10) work?
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I wouldn't give water overnight, mine have been OK for over 25 years not drinking overnight, and over 10 in another situation before that. If they have access to water all day they should be fine.
I think whatever you use they will splash everwhere.
Not sure whether I would leave them in all day, In that situation I would make a foxproof run.
I don't always put mine in at dusk, I know it's risky, but sometimes an hour or so late.
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Ours do not have water overnight - they would make such a mess of their house…. Even in summer ours go inside at around 8pm and come out around 7am, so are in for quite a while. They do fine.
I wouldn't worry about water during the night for them, as long as they have access dring the day.
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Thank you everyone. I have something of a personal phobia about being thirsty, so I like all my animals to have access to water all the time, even if they don't drink it (but the geese do) Mr F even puts a saucer of water in the polytunnel for the MICE ::) :roflanim: That is going a bit far ;D
Your suggestion Sally is along the right lines, but the water access needs to be much smaller, so only one goose head can get to it at one time or they'll all be in together and the water will all be spilled. We are thinking of a metal container hooked onto the wall, with just a little water in for overnight emergency. Yes, we spoil our stock, but that's the way we like to do it
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hullo Fleecewife-hope you are well!
I give my muscovy and used to give my geese access to water overnight. I use a heavy white bucket that had some kind of supplement in it but I attach it to the wall thus-I have a bungee hook on bailer twice folded over on the handle and the other end is tied to a ring higher up on the wall. Its too small for them to sit in but they can dunk their heads. It doesn't spill and is easily removed to clean out.
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We used to have ours in a converted shed as well. For a drinker, we suspended a small metal water trough that we found at the local recycling centre. We screwed two cup hooks into one of the side beams of the shed, wrapped some lengths of wire around each end of the trough and then attached the wire to the hooks. The height can be adjusted so that the trough is the right level for them to drink from. It was usually empty in the morning so they definitely drank from it.
If you don't have a water trough you might be able to use a length of guttering with a cap at both ends.
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Oh brilliant - thank you both. It's great to know I'm not a total weirdo :eyelashes: I knew there must be some ideas out there. I did find a small drinker online for hooking onto weldmesh which could maybe be adapted to my shed, although not ideal. I shall present both your ideas to Mr F and see what he thinks :thumbsup:
Hello Lord Flynn. You've been quiet for a while. I hope all is well. We are both fine here. Our 4 geese are lovely and never fly now ::) . The one we had for the solstice was scrummy too. Come and get some fleece, you're welcome.
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you are not a weirdo :D all of my animals have water overnight, especially this time of year when they are in so long-my chooks are under lights too in the winter now, hate to think of them not eating from 3.30pm to 8am in the winter.
I will pm you re the fleece, thank you for the offer.
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I agree geese don't need water overnight, but if they're being left in for an extended period it's a good thing to do.
If they have a bucket, they'll probably try washing their heads in it, so you'll end up with water everywhere. Have you tried a nipple drinker? They can learn to use them, and they won't spill much water.
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To answer the question you asked .A Mexican hat pig feeder they will never tip over plus raise it up 2 bricks and they can't climb in .dry floor can only get heads in, I use this for feeding geese pellets etc
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Why do they need water at night? I don't leave water for my ducks and hens at night and they're fine. They don't even rush out for a drink in the morning
We sometimes put them to bed before dusk, and don't always let them out at first light, especially in the summer, so they need water. The hens have an ordinary drinker, for the same reasons. Occasionally, if we are not expecting to be home before dark, all the poultry has to stay in all day.
Timings much the same as me, I'm not an early riser, :innocent: and sometimes put them in earlier than dusk if I'm tired. :eyelashes: But if you are going to be away all day yes, you'd need to leave them water.