Can anyone tell me why all the water runs out of my chicken waterer? It won't hold water, just runs right out. It's your basic round metal waterer with the top that fits over the main part of it with the tray down at the bottom. Out of the two waterers in the chicken coop, my poor chickens are out of water by the end of the day since only one holds water.
Any suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks
Ruth
Water overflow
Ruth the general rule of design requires that the waterer is level since the build up of pressure stops the water flow due to lack of air supply. if the hole that allows the water into the tray is higher, then the build of of water will run to the lower side, which in turn does not allow for the build up at the entrance to be sufficient to cut off the air supply. That will drain your waterer very quickly. Maybe you should stay and watch long enough after you fill it to see what is happening...Hay
Also if there is even a tiny pin hole anywhere in the top air will leak in, a vacuum will not be maintained and the water will seep out.
I bet a pinhole is the problem. I've watched it and even leveled it often. Guess I will have to get a new one. I didn't realize a hole in the top would do that. Thanks for the replies.
Ruth if you can tip it upside down and find the hole, you can ducttape it and save yourself some money. Those things are not cheap. There are many ways to patch up a small hole. Yes any thing that lets air in will cause it to lose it's vaccum...Hay
I have been able to find tiny holes by looking into the container while holding it up to the sun. Patch with epoxy.
Thanks for the tips. I didn't want to spend another $30 or more for a 5 gallon waterer. Yes, they are expensive. I will give the good old duct tape a try and if that doesn't work, I can get some epoxy.
Another question. How do you get rid of weasels?? We had a duck massacre yesterday and my 7 ducks had all the blood sucked out of them. I'm assuming it's a weasel, but how do you get rid of it????
Ruth I'm really sorry to hear about your ducks. I also had a weasel problem. I sat around with a shotgun for hours and finally decided I was going to use hardware cloth to weasel proof my coop. It has worked very well. Even a weasel cannot get through 1/2 inch hardware cloth. It's impossible to trap or deal with every predator therefore I work to deal with the weasel cause if you can keep them out nothing else can get in. They can get in through the smallest of holes. Mice and rats are the worst at making holes that the weasel can use and that is why I use a concrete floor...Good luch to you...Hay
Thanks Hay. That's what we decided to do. Put a new door on the barn and do some concrete patching. Looks like something has been digging at the foundation of the chicken coop too, so more concrete work there. Lots of small holes to patch. Not like we have a dog or anything that should have heard all the ruckus.... ;)