Poultry Waterers - what is best?

[farmgal]

What do you think is the best type of poulty waterer? We are currently using 4 litre icecream containers, but have to change the water frequently as the chooks kick dirt into them. I have seen those plastic ones, usually green and white, do they work ok? Can you hang them off the ground? Or are there better home made versions?
thanks in advance!

[Suzie Q]

Yes they come with a hole so as you can hang them.  You can also get metal ones I think.

Same with feeders you can get metal ones that you fill with pellets and they let the pellets out as they eat them.  They do have a cover over them, but they are better kept undercover.

[whyatt.family]

Get some small weld mesh and bend them into a u shape.  In the pen make sure the u is upside down and place the water dish ontop. It will raise the dish off the ground stoping the chooks throwing dirt in it.  The bigger the legs the higher off the ground you can make it.  If you really want to do it right dig a little hole and trench and fill with gravel or leave empty under the water dish to allow the water to drain away from the pen stopping muddy spots

[heidi]

Me being my frugal (read tight wad) self, I went to the tip and got the old fashioned enamel drawers out of the old fridges, (they were the things that you used to put the vegies in). I also got a big baby's bath from the op shop, which holds a lot of water and can't be knocked over. Council clean up time is great for getting "useful" things for the chook yard!
H.

[farmgal]

thanks for your suggestions. 
I have one of the tin thingos for their pellets, which hangs from their awning roof, but I wasn't sure about the water ones. Am a bit unsure of how the water actually stays in it, would be worried that I would get home from work in Summer to find all the water had drained out and chooks were thirsty.

[Suzie Q]

"Water always finds its own level"

[whyatt.family]

It uses air lock at the top to hold the water from going out.  Water will flow to the level just above the holes in the bottom until air pressure retains it.  As long as there isn't any holes in it you will be fine.  I must admit I prefer the pressue float setup as it will water you animals without you being there so is good for weekends away, the only downfall is their cost....thats why I don't have any at the moment

[madhatter]

ours have a little dam in their pen which works well.  we have a smaller totally enclosed pen (nicknamed alcatraz) for the chooks that persist in flying out of their 5 star chook haven in pursuit of more interesting careers such as "Dig up the Vege Garden Coordinator" or "General Manager of Sending all Mulch Flying" and their water bowl is just a  litre container with water dripping into it.  THey can drink out of it ok but it's high enough that the scratching etc doesnt soil the water.  If you have ducks forget about ever having unsoiled water!