The Easiest Water Set Up for Backyard Chickens in the Desert



Living in the desert requires our chickens to have consistent access to a lot of water! Once our chickens graduated from the baby chick setup, I wanted to give them a large bucket and water cups. We only have a young, small flock at this point and I thought that a 5 gallon bucket and lid would provide plenty of water for them and a large enough vessel to add an ice block when it's hot. Together, they cost less than $6.00.

I went to Tractor Supply and purchased the only water cups they had in stock, from Harris Farms. I knew it would likely take some time for them to figure it out.  But, after almost 10 days, it seemed that they could not figure out how to refill the cups since it required that they pull or push on the yellow release valve. I tried showing them, tried adding a mealworm to the cup, but I couldn't seem to help them with this challenge. The cup was always dry and were forced to drink from their back up supply. With consistent 90+ degree temperatures approaching, I knew I had to find another solution!



I found these cups that automatically refill, and in my opinion, this is the way to go! They are bigger, don't require a complicated release valve and stay full all the time without any effort by the chickens. What I like even more about the new bowls is they provided a wing-nut for the inside of the pail to secure the bowl in place. All you need is a standard 3/8" drill bit INCLUDED in my package! 

I guess our chickens aren't as smart as I thought they were, but I also didn't want them to have to work so hard just to get precious water, especially on days when it's extremely hot. Which water cups do you like best?

Happy homesteading!

Location: Arizona, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Feeding Chickens For Beginners

Image
General Feeding of Chickens When it comes to feeding chickens, it's important to provide them with a balanced diet that meets their nutritional needs. Chickens require a diet high in protein to support their growth and egg-laying, as well as vitamins and minerals to maintain their overall health. A good quality commercial feed is a great base for their diet and should be supplemented with fresh fruits, vegetables, and other treats like mealworms. It's also important to provide them with access to clean water at all times, especially is a desert climate like ours. Foods to  avoid: Avocado- the pit contains a toxin that is bad for birds Chocolate- Theobromine is toxic to chickens Caffeine- Not recommended for chickens Citrus fruits- Some people say not to feed large quantities Beans and rice- Phytohaemagglutinin is toxic Raw potatoes- Contain Solanine which is toxic Onions/Garlic- Can cause anemia Too much Spinach  or Rhubarb-Oxalic acid can cause liver damage and soft-shelled e...
Read more

Raising Backyard Chickens 101-learn from my mistakes!

Image
Impact-Site-Verification: 7b829abe-bda6-4b9a-8803-09c383df3dca If you're thinking of raising chickens, you're not alone. Raising backyard chickens has become increasingly popular in recent years, as more and more people are turning to homesteading and sustainable living. Not only can chickens provide you with fresh eggs and meat, they're also fun and entertaining to watch. In this post, I'll cover some of the basics you need to know to get started with raising chickens, from choosing the right breed to building a coop and caring for your birds. Little Known Facts About Chickens Chickens are one of the closest living relatives to the Tyrannosaurus Rex. Chickens can see in full color, and they have excellent depth perception. Chickens have a complex social hierarchy, with each bird knowing its place in the pecking order. Chickens can live for up to 10 years, but most commercial chickens are slaughtered at around 6 weeks old. Chickens are omnivores, and will eat just about...
Read more