What are the best chicken waterers?

Chicken waterers play an important role by ensuring your birds have access to clean water. Water accounts for 70% of an animal’s body weight. Water plays a role in food digestion, heat regulation and waste removal. Thirsty birds are dehydrated and unhappy.

Denying your bird’s water for few minutes as required can make them stop laying eggs for weeks. That’s for the layers.

Broilers have a high metabolism since they eat too much hence requiring lots of water. Improper water intake by these birds can cause dehydration leading to death.

Before you venture into chicken rearing, it is important you consider where to keep them, what to feed them and any other required parameters to keep these feathered friends.

For my case here, I want us to go through the best chicken waterer s out there that you can use on your chicken. Here are some that I consider good for me.

Traditional Gravity Fill Waterer

• An upturned bell waterer hanged upside down from a chain standing on a base is the most available of them all.
• Available in various materials like metal and plastic, comes in different sizes and varying capacities.
• Requires to be put on concrete blocks since chicken can easily fill them with dirt, beddings and poop as they scratch the ground.
• Require to be topped up regularly in summer and hot seasons as chicken drink a lot when it is hot.
• As they are solely powered by gravity, they remain clean as long as no dirt gets into them.
• The bad thing with them is that those made of plastic becomes brittle and easily crack during winter.
• Those made of metal sheets easily rust and corrode due to added vitamins and mineral supplements in the water.

Chicken Cup Waterer

• Can be easily mistaken with nipple waterers only that it has cups.
• Cups easily get dirt and chicken can easily bump onto them and sill the water something am sure you don’t want.
• They are easy for chicken to drink from since you do not require training your birds on how to use them.
• The drinking levels should be the same as the birds` shoulders.
• Raise your chicken waterers a little bit higher to prevent dirt from getting in and don’t place them near dirty surfaces.

Chicken Nipple Waterer

• This is perhaps the most modern method of water provision to chicken farming.
• It is` ideal with young birds as they can easily train on how to use it as they grow.
• Keeps the water fresh and clean as it only comes ‘out bit by bit with the manipulation of the nipple.
• No dirt or poop can get inside since the lid is always closed keeping the water clean.
• However, clean the waterer once every week especially on summer months and hot seasons since algae grow when its ‘warm and also to prevent bacteria build up.

Container Waterer

• The most common option for many especially those that do not have any other means available.
• They are readily available and easy for chicken to drink.
• Precautionally measures must be taken when using these waterers especially with small chicks as they can easily drown.
• It is not easy to keep them clean as chicken kick in dirt and poop hence require regular cleaning.
• Using these kinds of waterers you cannot practice water management as chicken will time and again spill the ‘water and also keep the surfaces wet.

Automatic Waterers

• Baptized automatic since they contain both cups and nipples.
• They are easy for most birds ‘to drink.
• If your coop is not big enough don’t worry since they only require a small space.
• Helps keep the water clean and reduce the amount of spillage.
• When it comes to cost they are a bit expensive due to their nature.

Place your waterer outside if necessary especially if you’re practicing free range method. This will help reduce the amount of water spilled in the coop keeping it dry and also ensures the weak and those easily bullied get a chance to drink.

Have several chicken waterers `if your birds stay indoors as this will ensure that all birds get a chance to drink. It will also help reduce crowding at the water points reducing chances of disease transmission. Using galvanized waterers `is also an excellent idea as ‘they don’t rust.

Cleaning waterers helps prevent buildup of dirt and algae. Use hot water, dish washing soap and a brush to clean your waterer. Diluted bleach helps keep bacteria at bay. Those who live in areas that experience winter can top up their waterers with warm water twice a day.

Hanging heat sources slightly above your waterers can help keep the water liquid during winter and also make it some degrees `warmer. Also a waterer whose base is plastic or metallic with heating qualities can work perfectly well.

Summary

I know there are other types of chicken waterers out there and I have given information on those that I have experience on. Explore more to find out about others` and also settle on one that best suits ‘you and one that you can afford. Success my fellow chicken farmer.