The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: BML on March 11, 2019, 09:00:55 pm

Title: Very thirsty chickens!
Post by: BML on March 11, 2019, 09:00:55 pm: I recently bought three point of lay pullets and they are consuming a full container of water within the day. By full container I mean a large watering can full. The chickens I kept three ears ago did not take that much water so do I have a problem?
By the way would anyone care to recommend what sort of watering device I should consider?
Title: Re: Very thirsty chickens!
Post by: abc123 on March 11, 2019, 09:54:39 pm: Hello BML :wave:

Have you considered you may have a leak in your water container even a hair fracture. Is the area around the container quite wet?

Also is it a plastic or metal drinker? Plastic drinkers can crack easier than metal ones obviously. What breed chickens are they as the size of the bird and the body mass can also affect how much they drink. for example if they are brahmas, their water intake is very different to if they are pekin bantams. This may sound obvious, but you wouldnt believe the amount of people that have asked me that only to find they were thinking of completely different breeds, :thinking: :coat:. sure thats not the case though.

Sure, for your amount of birds you would be looking at a maximumcapacity of 3 litres for 3 birds a day. So a cheaper option would be a 3 ltr plastic drinker, although if you got more birds in the future, you may want to get a larger one such as a 6 ltr or more.

Work on the basis of half a litre or 1 pint a day in average temperature. In hotter weather they will drink up to a litre a day. However they need fresh water every day.

Also I would go for a plastic one as they are easy to clean, can be used for additives to the water (ACV) or Verm-X and are fairly cheap for what they are. An average price for a 3 ltr plastic drinker would be around the £5 mark

HTH and good luck
Title: Re: Very thirsty chickens!
Post by: DavidandCollette on March 12, 2019, 09:18:50 am: Also ensure that the drinker is on a level surface otherwise it will just drain away slowly. Ask me how I know... :roflanim:
Title: Re: Very thirsty chickens!
Post by: BML on March 12, 2019, 09:20:25 am: I have the container hanging on a wire so that it is level and the chickens can't knock it about.
Title: Re: Very thirsty chickens!
Post by: abc123 on March 12, 2019, 03:58:21 pm: Quote from: DavidandCollette on March 12, 2019, 09:18:50 am
Ask me how I know... :roflanim:

How do you know..?? ;D
Title: Re: Very thirsty chickens!
Post by: abc123 on March 12, 2019, 04:00:29 pm: Quote from: BML on March 12, 2019, 09:20:25 am
I have the container hanging on a wire so that it is level and the chickens can't knock it about.

Why cant it come out if its swinging?? I put mine on two courses of bricks. one for bantams.
Title: Re: Very thirsty chickens!
Post by: BML on March 12, 2019, 07:57:04 pm: I am glad that my dear wife doesn't read this forum because of course that is precisely what she suggested I should do yesterday and which I will do as soon as she goes out next. You are absolutely correct and thank you very much.
Title: Re: Very thirsty chickens!
Post by: abc123 on March 12, 2019, 09:15:33 pm: :roflanim: sneaky
No problem BML
Title: Re: Very thirsty chickens!
Post by: Possum on March 13, 2019, 09:33:21 am: I got my drinkers and food hoppers from Solways Feeders.

www.solwayfeeders.com/poultry-game-drinkers

They work well and are long lasting. Eight years old and still going strong!
Title: Re: Very thirsty chickens!
Post by: hampshiresmallholder on March 13, 2019, 10:00:42 am: yes i can recommend them too. one of my chicken feeders was from there. very good company :)