Make a hen waterer?

[Jessiebean]

My Chooks are mad for water and have a pyrex loaf pan which sits on some bricks for their water. They knock it over frequently- what great ideas do you have for making a water dispenser which can't be knocked over, using repurposed/recycled things?

[boboff]

I give mine a block of ice and a blow torch at the minute.

You could mock up a drinker using a plant pot dish and a large plastic pot with a lid. Cut small hole near the top of the pot, fill with water, put the lid on, invert and put in the dish, the water should leak out until the water level covers the hole you made, then it should stop, until drunk, then it should fill up again........( I buy these plastic ones for around £3, but this is the same principal)

[bonniethomas06]

Ours have a bucket weighted down with some bricks inside. It pushes the water level up and stops them from knocking it over. Although it doesn't stop them jumping in it....

[Jessiebean]

I give mine a block of ice and a blow torch at the minute.

You could mock up a drinker using a plant pot dish and a large plastic pot with a lid. Cut small hole near the top of the pot, fill with water, put the lid on, invert and put in the dish, the water should leak out until the water level covers the hole you made, then it should stop, until drunk, then it should fill up again........( I buy these plastic ones for around £3, but this is the same principal)

This sounds good the next empty honey bucket I get will be used for this- I had a vague idea like this but it is clear when I read your description!

I do like the elegantly simple solution of a bucket with a brick too! At the moment I have barricaded the loaf pan with bricks which stops them from standing on the edge and tipping it over although not from standing in it!

[Millymollymandy]

I use stainless steel dog bowls - they are designed so they can't be knocked over and ice doesn't stick to the metal so easily as other materials so is easy to clear of ice if necessary (not a problem for Jessiebean I shouldn't think, least not at the moment!). Not homemade but will last for years and years so worthwhile.

[Jessiebean]

the cat has some nice stainless steel ones, I think when I am feeling spendy I will pick some up, you are right- they don't get tipped over and are easy to clean (ice will be a problem next year!)

[bennettsbrood]

Hi there, i make something like on the bottom of the following link, just got the holes in the bucket and fill up with water till ti starts to spill out - has always done the job fine - just make sure that you dont have little chicks around that could get all melodramatic and try to drown themselves in the bucket - no one likes weak dead chick soup -

http://phoenixpermaculture.ning.com/gro ... roup%3A762

All the best.

[sarahkeast]

You might find something here, one of my favorite sites

http://www.instructables.com/id/Chicken-Feeder/

[janerowena]

I use a washing-up bowl with a brick at either end. They poo in it, but then they managed to do that even in their expensive waterers.

A ping-pong or tennis ball in the water helps to stop the ice forming.

[Jessiebean]

I ended up with a surplus of buckets from a neighbour so have used a 2litre bucket which is hemmed in with bricks, works very well!