FOUNTAIN OF KNOWLEDGE
or, some knowledge about chicken founts (waterers)
For our outside Poultry Plaza, I have prefered using the plastic 7-gallon
"Little Giant" waterers. They certainly do have their "pros", as long
as you know how to use them easily.
This is what we used to do when using that type of waterer. We have
since gone to an automatic system with bell waterers, and I hope to
have some good information available about those as well. With a few
easy tips, the auto watering can be a real timesaver and joy, and you
have more free time to ENJOY the birds verses be a slave to them.
Note on the picture above the little black cap that is on the top of
the waterer's side. There is also a spout down below that where the cap
alternately fits. If the cap is in the bottom position, all water is
retained in the reservoir and by placing the cap on the top position,
the water is released. The handled lid on top should never be
over-tightened, I will tighten a lid until it gets harder to turn, then
move the black cap, and listen for the waterer to "glug" and bubbles to
rise to the top of the waterer. If water gushes, quickly tighten the
lid until you hear the "glugging" sound of air bubbles as the water is
released into the base. If you forget to move the cap, the birds will
NOT have any water!
The picture on the left shows my waterer on a platform. This helps keep
the water cleaner, and the platform height should be about the height
of the birds' backs. This one is set up a little low, but still does a
good job of keeping the water cleaner. I keep my platforms at this
height so that they can be used for almost any poultry that is outside
in pens. My turkeys have a much higher platform, though! The hen
pictured above is app. 3 months old in the photo.
I prefer to wash any new waterer, and have found it cheaper to buy them
locally at my feed store than to order them and have them shipped.
(They are oversized, and do not stack - so they come in several large
boxes!) For washing and disinfecting, I use TekTrol. It kills more
germs, is more economical than, and is safer for your hands and birds
than bleach. I rinse the waterer well, and fill (making sure that the
black cap is in the bottom position) to about two to three and half
gallons in the waterer. Loosely put the lid on, just tight enough so
that you can carry it safely.
Maybe I'm jumping ahead just a tad, but another good tip if you fill
the waters like described just below, is that if you need a clean place
to put the lid for the waterer - not in any mud from filling the
waterer or in droppings in the pen, you can toss the lid into an empty
or full water bucket and it will stay clean.
Because it is easier work to carry two water containers than one, fill
a 5-gallon bucket to about 1/2 to 1 gallon more than you filled the
waterer. Carry both to your platform where you want the waterer to
"live". I set the waterer on the ground, unscrew the lid and pour the
contents of your 5-gallon bucket into the waterer. NOTE: You can do
this "sloppy" by letting some water run down the side of the reservoir
and into the base - this allows any thirsty birds to get a quick drink
and also allows you to put out a total of closer to 8 gallons of water
out for your birds! If your waterer isn't yet full, carry another
bucket of water to fill the reservoir to the 7 gallon line and also
make sure that there is water in the base to the top of the spout level
(where the black cap is). When the waterer is full, put the lid on and
turn until it feels somewhat tighter. Carefully lift the waterer onto
the platform and move the black cap from the bottom spout to the top
position. LISTEN to the waterer. If it gushes, quickly turn the lid on
the waterer until the gushing stops. If you don't do this, all the
water will run out and your birds will have nothing to drink. If the
base were empty, the waterer will make a glugging sound and bubbles
will go from the bottom of the reservoir to the top. DO NOT
OVER-TIGHTEN the lid on the waterers! You can ruin the gasket that way,
and it is extremely difficult, especially in the summer heat, to
untighten the lid later on as it builds up pressure inside.
Check on your waterers at least once daily, twice is even better. I
prefer to have enough waterers so that I do not have to refill them
more often than once a day, and also I like to run out of water or dump
and refill every few days in the summer and it can go a little longer
in the winter.
Speaking of winter, I have not found a commercial warmer that will
adequately keep plastic bird waterers de-iced. In Arkansas, we don't
get a lot of cold weather in which ice would form in the waterers, so
it isn't as big a threat. Some suggestions I would make would be to
have twice the number of waterers you are using, (this makes it easy to
ensure your birds can have a clean waterer at any given time) and
"change out" a frozen one for a fresh one, and keep the "extras"
someplace warm, in a shed with a heater or the like. If your waterers
are sheltered, they will not be as likely to freeze up. It will be most
important to change out waterers just before dark and again at sunrise.
I suggest checking and changing out waterers as often as you have the
time, at least one more time per day. Remember that poultry MUST have
fresh, clean, LIQUID water to drink at all times. To keep hands
warm/dry, use either jersey gloves or for smaller-hands for children or
ladies, the stretch-to-fit gloves and then add rubber gloves like you'd
wear washing dishes over top of them, use the next size larger than
you'd normally wear, maybe two sizes larger if the gloves are bulky.
This way, you stay warm and dry! Can't remember where I saw them now,
but if you're interested in longer rubber gauntlet to go up over your
elbow or even to your shoulder, email me and I'll dig that info up for ya.
Also, in the summer time and as smaller birds grow into adults, they
will require more frequent watering. Again, if you check on waterers
twice a day, you should have no trouble keeping up. You may want to
wash a waterer every time you refill it, especially if it is dusty or
if aglae forms easily on the inner surfaces. I think TekTrol is the
best disinfectant (Valley Vet can be looked up online and they have the
best price per gallon of concentrate!) and other "tools" for cleaning
include a hose sprayer, a toilet brush, and a smaller scrub brush to
get into the small spaces.
I have also found that the best sprayer for TekTrol (or horse fly
spray) is a pressurized sprayer (NOT for a garden hose, but an
independant unit) like you would use for pesticides. Buy a new one that
hasn't had other chemicals in it, they should run less than $10 each
and are very handy. The sprayer will have a longer lifespan if kept at
room temperature and out of the sun. Make sure to mark its contents - I
have noticed that TekTrol and the brand of horse fly spray that I use
(it is also safe for dogs and therefore used on our canine as well)
looks a lot like TekTrol. Always buy a new, clean sprayer if you are
using a different chemical.
One more note on refills for the 7-gallon waterers, if you are short
and/or are having problems getting the lid off of the waterer - if it
is hot or has been over-tightened, try taking the base off of the
reservoir, hold the water firmly between your feet, and use a long
stick or handle from a tool to loosen the lid more easily. It may also
be easier to carry the waterer without its base (they ride better in a
wheelbarrow that way, although I have found it isn't worth the hassle
of trying to lift it up over the wheelbarrow to get the waterer out). A
flat, wagon-style garden cart may be more useful than a wheelbarrow.
I've not tried that one yet!
Hope this helps - again, I really love these waterers but they are a
little tricky to be comfortable using. I like how easy it is, even from
a distance (unless they get very dusty) to see the level of the water
(you CANNOT do this with a metal waterer at all). I have noticed the
last time I bought a waterer for my pet ferret that they use small
floating, brightly colored plastic pieces so you can see the water
level from a distance. I've thought maybe baby toys for the tub might
work here? You'd most likely want to fish them out and scrub them
often, but it might help you see the level of the water more clearly.
If anyone tries it, let me know! Back on track, the Little Giant
plastic waterers are lighter and I have heard that plastic is easier to
keep clean than the galvanized waterers. (Same goes for
feeders...although the plastic feeders do not hold out as well as
galvanized, they don't slice your hands open easily, either.)
Also, I save any reusable pieces/parts if there is a problem with a
waterer - if a base breaks, but the rest is good - hang onto it if you
have room to store it where sunlight and extreme heat or cold will not
break down the plastic. Eventually, you may be able to piece together
waterers that way and save a little on the expense of replacing them
with brand new units! (I sound like my Mom....sorry!)
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