Food and water containers

Janet&Mic · **Joined:** Tue Feb 15, 2011 7:12 am **Posts:** 1

Food and water containers
you can make your own. Use a plastic 2-litre milk bottle with an opening cut into it about 2mm from the bottom. Cut the top off this bottle and inside place an upturned soft drink bottle with a few holes 2 mm from the neck of the bottle. Fill the soft drink bottle with water and place it upside down, inside the milk carton. The water leaks out to the level of the holes you have placed in it. It is a bit unstable, but I secure it with a wire cradle.

http://www.petalia.com.au/Templates/Sto ... ory_No=251

Phoebe · **Posted:** Sat Jun 18, 2011 12:54 pm

Hi Janet&Mic,
We also use plastic milk containers. We cut the side out of the 3 litre milk containers. See the attached picture. We put into them our vegetable scraps, potato water, meat juices, etc., which we blend with pollard or crushed oats to make a wet mash meal for our hens. When the containers get too dirty, we simply dispose of them.
Phoebe

beaktime · **Joined:** Tue Jun 14, 2011 9:51 am **Posts:** 48

That will work fine but they will kick so much dirt into it that it will be a mud puddle. I prefer the waterer cups because they stay clean and they do not have to be filled as often if connected to a 5 gallon bucket

Phoebe · **Posted:** Sun Jun 19, 2011 3:06 pm

beaktime,

Yes, the hens will kick dirt in the containers if the containers are left in a small pen or a confined space. We leave the containers outside where all the hens can access them, and find that the hens do not kick dirt in the containers. However, some hens will stand on the edge of the containers and knock them over, especially when the mash is nearly gone. But you can put a stick or peg in the handle so the hens can't knock them over.

It was good to see a picture of your well thought out system.
Phoebe

beaktime · **Joined:** Tue Jun 14, 2011 9:51 am **Posts:** 48

It is a good idea. I'm glad it works well. My chickens are dirt and poo flingers and like to stand in water so I don't know if they could handle it but I might use your trick if I ever need some outdoor food/water and have nothing else.

Old Duck · **Joined:** Tue Jun 28, 2011 3:33 pm **Posts:** 2

I love that auto water system mine also stand in their water and its muddy in a matter of hours after cleaning it out. I will have to look at that system, does it cost a great deal beaktime?

Phoebe · **Posted:** Tue Jun 28, 2011 7:46 pm

Old Duck,
You can buy and have posted to you all the bits and pieces to make up an automatic drinker system like beaktime's from Bellsouth Poultry. Look under Equipment in their website http://www.bellsouth.com.au for further details and prices.
Phoebe

Old Duck · **Joined:** Tue Jun 28, 2011 3:33 pm **Posts:** 2

Thanks Phoebe I will go and have a look now

Sandpit56 · **Joined:** Mon May 23, 2011 2:55 pm **Posts:** 18

My hubby made a feeder out of pvc pipe. Just cut out enough room for their heads and put ends on, perfect for any size flock.Just cut the pipe to any length you want. We have screwed ours to the coop wall off the ground.Wouldn,t be much good for water though as it is pretty shallow.

Phoebe · **Posted:** Fri Jul 01, 2011 1:05 pm

Sounds a great idea, Sandpit56. I will give it a go. Phoebe

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