Chicken Waterers Are a Great Way to Provide Fresh Water
Like all living things, your chickens need fresh, clean drinking water. Hens with unrestricted access to clean water grow better, are healthier, and lay more eggs.
Here are the main things you need to know about chickens and their need for water.
Fresh, clean water should always be available to them. This may mean setting up more than one waterer station in your chicken coop, depending on how many chickens you have.
If you notice your birds fighting over water then it is time to add another waterer. There should be enough waterer available so the hens at the bottom of the pecking order feel safe to drink water any time they want.
For chicks, you'll want to set the waterer on the ground like in the picture to the right.
For adults, you'll want to hang chicken waterers six to eight inches from the ground. This prevents the chickens from roosting on them, pooping in them, kicking them over or sleeping in them.
Make sure your chickens have access to cool, fresh and clean water at all times of the day. A chicken without water can die within a day.
Chickens cannot handle the heat very well. They are unable to sweat so the only way they have of cooling down is by panting and by drinking cool water.
During periods of mild weather, your hens may consume around 16 ounces of water each day. As the temperature rises, the amount of water they drink will increase substantially.
In hot weather, providing an unlimited quantity of cool, clean water may mean the difference between life and death for your family of chickens. During these periods of hot weather, it's a good idea to put their fresh water in the shade.
Hens need to drink lots of water to produce eggs. If they run out of water they will dehydrate quickly and stop laying eggs.
Chickens don't like drinking dirty water. If you leave water in the container for a few days at a time, it will start to go stagnant and turn green with algae. If your waterer is full of algae, dirt, or manure, it's time to clean it.
Clean your chicken watering equipment regularly because dirty waterers can harbor diseases and attract pests.
Your chickens will appreciate having clean, fresh drinking water! Just watch them zoom over to take a drink when you change their water.
Watering your flock is much easier and more worry free when you purchase inexpensive watering stations since there are no bowls to knock over spilling the water.
Plastic Containers with a red base are good because chickens seem to be attracted to the color red. In fact, this may be the best way to get started when you are learning how to raise chickens.
Provide 1" of water space per chicken. Place the waterers so that the top is level with the birds back.
Baby Chick Waterers
Baby chick waterers are a must!
Brand new chicks need a waterer low enough to allow them access to water continually.
With baby chicks it is better to use the commercial watering stations because it reduces the chance for the chicks to fall into the water and drown. There are several different types of waterers to choose from, but they all do pretty much all work the same way.
Chickens naturally peck at red things, because of this, using a chicken waterer that has a red base will help the chicks learn where to get water.
Fill the base of the chicken waterer with marbles or small sized rocks. Baby chicks are clumsy and can fall into the water and drown. Placing marbles or rocks in the waterer will prevent chicks from drowning if they fall into the waterer. Wash the marbles or rocks frequently.
You may need to change the water a few times a day depending on how clean it is. It's pretty important to have clean water. Dirty water can make your chicks/chickens sick.
Chickens usually will not drink water that is dirty, hanging chicken waterers are a great way to ensure fresh, clean drinking water for your flock.