What do you put your chickens water in?

[redwino]

I use one of those plastic hopper thingys. But if I put it on the ground they scratch mud and stones etc in to it. So I put it up higher on a couple of bricks. Now they knock it over all the time and all the water leaks out. Not a problem most days but if they do that on a hot summers day when I am out, they won't have drink.

I gave up on the hopper after everything you have done and just use the bottom section. I have to top it up every morning but that's not such a bad thing anyway since it means I know they always have fresh water. I'm plotting some sort of cunning invention to catch rainwater and have a constant clean supply going in to the bowl... don't know how yet but watch this space

We used to use a washing up bowl before we had ducks, but they used to climb in and make it all mucky! Now we have a little pond which they all drink out of and I clean out occasionally once a day.

The ducks climbed in to the washing up bowl I mean - it worked perfectly well for the chickens.

You can get heavy-duty iron drinkers - like your plastic hopper thingy which might be more resistant to being knocked over. I have a plastic one right in the corner of the henhouse (also up on bricks) and it's never been knocked over.

Outside they have a small trough - which they do run through in moments of stupidity so that gets muddy. I hose it out a couple of times a week.

I use a plastic hopper and slabbed that area of the chicken run with slate floor tiles (left over from the hallway). Doesn't get knocked over and hardly gets any muck in. I just give it a quick swill when refilling.

The big hen run has a half barrel cut down the middle which is easy to clean.
the little chickens have those hoppery things but I hate them for being a faff.
The ducks have a roasting dish for their abolutions and a little paddling pool.
Try putting a tyre with a board over it then the hopper thingo on top. It sort of helps but I swear they dip their big fat feet in the water when no one is looking.
Oh and how many times has the bottom of the water hopper come off just as you lift it and you end up with a wet inside of wellie?

we have enammelled drinkers I got off ebay,,they've been fine but don't address the freezing in winter problem.

We have a plastic hopper that we've attached to a piece of cord that we suspend from the frame of the run. It's only about 1" off the ground but it never gets knocked over (obviously) and really only starts getting mucky after two or three days.

We have got a plastic hopper thing and I hate it, I end up slopping it everywhere when I move it and the hens kick stuff into it. I have seen those galvanised bucket things that lie on their side that look quite good. Has anyone used those?

we've got a galvanised hopper, they don't seem bothered by the mud in it tbh

Some good ideas. i am going to try standing hopper inside small washing up bowl. Stupid chooks knocked feed hopper over this time, the top came off and layers pellets are everywhere. When are they going to learn some table manners?