Dominique has her own funny ways. Lately, her focus is on water. Since exbf can no longer fill her two gallon waterer, she suffers from droughts occasionally. I am not so sure that I can manage to fill her water container without falling down in one of the holes she digs.
Let me explain the setup. The waterer is next to her chain link enclosure. Outside the chain link, about ten feet away is the outdoor faucet. I keep the hose stuck into the fence so I don't have to drag it back and forth.
Most days, I just stand outside the fence and spray out the moat around the waterer and fill the moat with water.
If Dominique has no water, she might take one bite of food. Then, she complains to me, following me along her pen and to the water container. She does not even mind if I get spray on her as I replenish her water.
Saturday, I decided to take a water bottle full of tap water and fill the moat. I did that first before I fed her. She did her complaining as I walked along the fence. She kept it up even after I went indoors.
She had water, so it was not a dry moat that bothered her. First of all, I gave her water before feeding her. Then, I did not use the faucet and hose. Silly girl.
When she follows me and complains, she quits complaining as soon as she sees me lift the faucet handle. She is so smart. She makes me laugh.
I know. I know. I need to figure out how to fill the water container so she never runs out of water. My egg production would go back up, I am quite sure.
Your turn
Do you have farm animals or pets who expect things to be done as you always do them or get confused or upset?
You need one of these chicken waterers with a 5 gallon bucket and nipple or cup. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE1Pc6dGlPI
ReplyDeleteDaizy,
DeleteI THINK THAT Awould b
Daizy,
That would be nice and useful and so expensive. I know they are less expensive if I made one, but I cannot and don't know anyone who will. Thanks for the comment.
I could send this to you if you think you would be able to hang it up. You could hang it up empty and then fill it. It wouldn't work when it freezes though. http://www.ruralking.com/hen-hydrator-bucket-waterer.html
DeleteDaizy,
DeleteThanks. It would work better.
Send me your mailing address at tucsondaizygirl at gmail dot com.
DeleteI didn't get your address. Let me know if you send it so I can watch for the email. Have a good day!
DeleteJust sent it. Thanks. Typing lying down!
DeleteI put a small galvanized tub in our chickens' run and have a rubberized tub up near the house for them. If you don't have babies or small chicks it's no problem to have open containers of water. Works great. They stay filled for a long time and easy to refill with a hose. I clean them out and give them a good scrubbing every couple of weeks but that's not too hard to do either ; you don't really even have to pick the container up, just scrub and run in fresh water.
ReplyDeleteedifice rex,
DeleteGood ideas. When I could let my chickens out into the yard without fear of losing one a day to predators, I had a ceramic bowl sitting on a plant stand outside the pen in deep shade. Plus, on the hottest days I put a cereal bowl of cold water right outside the back door.
Now, I cannot bend much at all without holding onto something. Scrubbing is out of the question. At this point exbf cannot either. So, I am stuck with no help.
Every container of water on the ground always got so much dirt in it from their scratching!
My dog is a tyrant. She has a "schedule" she will not deviate from for love or money. If you ignore her, she does things for attention and if her food or water bowl is ever empty (even if she is not hungry) she'll throw it at your feet. I half expect her to say, "You're fired."
ReplyDeleteCherdo,
ReplyDeleteThat's funny. I imagine her lack of opposable thumbs is the only reason she keeps you around.