Water, Water, Water!

Water is the basis of life, right? Making sure the chicks (which really, are now more like chickens as they're almost 5 weeks old) have 24/7 access to an ample and clean water supply is critical. We started off the day-old chicks with the classic, inverted-Mason-jar style waterers. Even the first few days, we changed the water 4 times a day, as they would kick shavings into it, poop in it, and backwash in it.

Around 2 weeks of age, Milan installed special, automatic cup-type waterers. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of them, because they were only in the run a couple days: long enough for us to be 100% sure they were not working, or rather, the chickens didn't figure them out. The waterer had a little ball in it that we were told the chicks would peck at out of curiosity, and voila: water would automatically refill the little cup. That didn't happen. They would drink all the water out of the little cup without touching the ball, so the cups were never triggered to refill. Of course, we left the trusty Mason jars in place to make sure the chickens were still getting plenty of water.

Milan finally got a different automatic system going which is working great. It's a bowl-style waterer that hangs and automatically refills itself at a certain point.

You can see from the photos the working conditions for installing the waterers weren't the roomiest. Chickens are also pretty curious creatures. We have layers on the property here too, which are pretty skittish compared to these guys, who see us at least three times a day, usually more. They especially like Milan, as he's the guy with the food!

Here you can see the four-and-a-half week olds around the Mason jar waterer.









Even though Milan got in the run right after moving it to new pasture, it was pretty messy back there. When we move the run, the chickens go hog wild all over it for about the first half hour, pecking the clover and catching worms and bugs before settling into the sunshine near the front of the run. So, even though we had just moved it, Milan was still rolling around in chicken manure back there. Yuck! Talk about dirty work. And cramped! But Milan gets it done, usually with good humor.

Did you see the chicken on his leg? At one point, he was using rubber bands to hold something in place. One of the chickens discovered one that had fallen into the grass and thought it was a worm. The chicken made some sound that must have announced his discovery to the entire flock, because they basically converged right in Milan's face, squawking and bawking and flapping around trying to get the "worm". Milan managed to break up the party and successfully extricate the rubber band from the instigator.

It sure is a relief to not have to refill Mason jars 4 or more times a day. These little bowls are convenient and sanitary and they WORK!