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Author Topic: Water buckets  (Read 6059 times)

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Water buckets
« on: June 29, 2012, 12:08:15 am »
How do you all deal with water buckets?
I'm getting so fed up of refilling buckets of water to find they've used them as toilet bowls as soon as I turn my back!
Or knocking bucket over, even though there are concrete blocks round it, the girls manage to flip them out somehow.
I've thought of cutting a hole in the front panel so they put their heads thru for water (and swap bucket for feed as needed?).
How big a hole and how high off the ground? (Toggs)
Any other ideas? PLEASE?  :(
 

tizaala

  • Joined Mar 2011
  • Dolau, Llandrindod Wells,Powys
Re: Water buckets
« Reply #1 on: June 29, 2012, 06:09:19 am »
The lip of the bucket has to be hung 2 inches higher than the tallest goats bum hole. One piece of hay floating on top will be enough to put them off drinking the cleanest of water, but ours will happily drink from an old belfast sink that the geese use for washing their heads in , green water , feathers floating bits of chicken s**t bobbing about, there's no accounting for goats.

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Water buckets
« Reply #2 on: June 29, 2012, 11:14:33 am »
looking at how they stand against the hay rack, I'm presuming they would try and 'balance' on a bucket if it's in the pen, are your water buckets in the pen tizaala?
I also think the green water must be tasty, because mine drink it out in the field, so I felt bad and now put buckets in the sink and keep refreshing them, at least they can't knock them over  ::) 
 

jinglejoys

  • Joined Jul 2009
Re: Water buckets
« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2012, 08:16:06 pm »
Try putting them in a tyre (the buckets not the goats ;D ) Mine just have an old bath tub out in the field which I fill up everyso often,usually placed through the fence so they can drink from whichever paddock they are in

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Water buckets
« Reply #4 on: June 30, 2012, 12:16:50 am »
Reading my first post again I didn't really make it clear it's in the pens where the problem is, the amount they managed to get in their buckets today is amazing, (they had to stay in till this afternoon) I'm beginning to wonder if there is a competion to see who can get the most muck in the bucket  :(

tizaala

  • Joined Mar 2011
  • Dolau, Llandrindod Wells,Powys
Re: Water buckets
« Reply #5 on: June 30, 2012, 04:55:16 am »
Yes they are in the pen , we suspend the buckets off the wall on chain ( they chew through  baler twine ) keeping it well away from the eating area by one and a half goat lengths, this avoids the conveyer belt production line of food to pellets, and this way they cant use it as a climbing aid. Have not yet worked out how horses and goats can walk and crap at the same time, bloody multitaskers.

Skirza

  • Joined Mar 2011
Re: Water buckets
« Reply #6 on: June 30, 2012, 08:24:11 am »
I was having the same problem but found moving the buckets to a different corner solved it (don't ask me why..I have given up trying to work out the mind of a goat)

jinglejoys

  • Joined Jul 2009
Re: Water buckets
« Reply #7 on: June 30, 2012, 12:35:27 pm »
How about making it so they have to step up to drink out of the bucket ?

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Water buckets
« Reply #8 on: June 30, 2012, 03:01:06 pm »
Things to think about - thanks all

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Water buckets
« Reply #9 on: July 02, 2012, 05:03:14 pm »
MIne are the blue 1 1/4 gallon ones, hanging through a bucket ring, above bum height, so a bit of a stretch is needed. Works fine in summer, but deep-bedding in winter also means frequent changes of water >:( . As they are thorugh a wooden wall we can move them up or down quite easily (for kids for example), so mostly it works fine. But I find kids and goatlings have a terrible destructive streak to them and manage to take the handles off whenever left on the bucket.... ::) , they seem to grow out of it when kiddie No1 arrives though...

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Water buckets
« Reply #10 on: July 03, 2012, 01:46:39 am »
They've been in most of the day, 3 water chages today, as it involves going down to the field well it's getting a bit frustrating!
I was thinking of making a hole in the front of the pen and hanging the bucket on the outside, but it seems just hanging it high-ish on the wall seems the way to go, thanks all.
The bucket rings seems a bit dear, counting in delivery (can't find any locally), so OH is conveniently doing a job for a metal fabricator,
I'm thinking of a strip of metal bent semi round with flat bits to bolt to wall. sound OK?

countrywoman

  • Joined Nov 2011
Re: Water buckets
« Reply #11 on: July 03, 2012, 01:12:28 pm »
My husband made pen doors with head-sized gaps and the water buckets are hung in rings on the outside, which makes topping up easier for a start.  Then I worried that they might find it difficult to drink below half-bucket level so he added a small step to the inside of the door.  They still drop hay in the water, of course, but never poo which is a bonus for me as I have to carry water from the house - and they only drink hot...
 
I use hook-on mangers for concentrates and these hang from a bar inside the pen which has to be lower for comfortable feeding.  I've now learnt never never to forget to remove the manger after a feed because it will be in need of a good scrub in no time.
 
I'm sure my goats congratulate themselves on getting me well-trained.   

colliewoman

  • Joined Jul 2011
  • Pilton
  • Caution! May spontaneously talk rabbits!
Re: Water buckets
« Reply #12 on: July 03, 2012, 10:28:06 pm »
My guys have one of the big blue barrels cut in half length wise, this sits on top of an old garden bench and is perfect :thumbsup:
We'll turn the dust to soil,
Turn the rust of hate back into passion.
It's not water into wine
But it's here, and it's happening.
Massive,
but passive.


Bring the peace back

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Water buckets
« Reply #13 on: July 04, 2012, 01:20:38 am »
 as I have to carry water from the house - and they only drink hot...
I reckon as mine like the stuff thats been in the field bucket for a few days - they can drink cold inside as well (except in winter, but even then they also drink from 'broken ice' bucket outside)

 

countrywoman

  • Joined Nov 2011
Re: Water buckets
« Reply #14 on: July 04, 2012, 04:31:29 pm »
I didn't start the hot water mania - they were already addicted before I got them.  They came from a showing and milk-competition breeder and apparently all her girls were offered hot water to encourage them to drink more and, hopefully, produce more milk.  Not sure I'm convinced it makes much difference in production but now they will not touch cold and are disdainful of lukewarm.  I wasn't told about this before I bought them!

 

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