Tag: Problem

Free Range Easy Fill Drinker, Design Flaw. An Updated Review

There is a problem with this drinker, I’m disappointed to report a major design flaw that needs to be addressed. I used this drinker for about a week and kept finding the tank full and the tray dry. This is a death sentence in Phoenix where temps are 110+. There isn’t a vent in the cover, causing a vacuum and therefore a stoppage of water flow. I drilled a couple of holes in the lid and now it’s working nicely.

Farm & Home Supply

I thought the Free Range Easy Fill Drinker was a good choice for our farm because it held 3.5 gallons of water, keeping it cooler longer when the temps are extreme. For the price, I expected more, and now it’s up $10+ dollars!
I won’t tell you not to buy this drinker, but be prepared to drill a few holes in the cover or you’ll find your birds without water.
FYI: I’ve contacted the manufacturer about this problem. No response.

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Little Giant Poultry Drinker, Solving the Overflow Problem

plastic-poultry-header

Many people are complaining this drinker overflows and leaves their birds without water, but there’s a simple fix to this problem. This drinker is a good product, but there’s a trick to keeping it from leaking everywhere. I sent my first one back, the second ended up in the shed on a shelf. But now I use it every day and love it.
First of all, I’m sure you already know it’s important to place the drinker on level ground, and up on a cinder block is good practice too. But here’s the real trick to stop it from overflowing. After you fill the drinker full, loosely tighten the cover on top. Remove the black cap on the side allowing the fountain to fill. While it’s filling, loosen the black cover on top (kind of a lot) then tighten it again. This will create the vacuum needed to stop it from overflowing. That’s it!


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Solutions for Chicks Pecking Each Other

Let’s start at the beginning with chicks in the brooder. Chicks don’t just peck each other for lack of something to do. There is an underlying problem causing them stress and/or aggravation. As with any living creature, the first and foremost necessity for well-being is comfort.
If a brooder lamp is necessary for warmth it shouldn’t be a blast of blinding light. You may want to make the switch from heat lamps altogether and switch to radiant heat from a radiant heat plate. This will solve your fluctuating temperature problem, and providing you have a good number of chicks, it will be sufficient in keeping them warm.
Note: If it’s brutal cold… you can supplement with a low-wattage red heat lamp. Low-wattage heat bulbs are sold for reptiles, I usually use a 50 or 100-watt, depending on how cold it is.
I’m convinced that happy and content chickens start in the brooder. It’s easy to tell if the brooder has comfort zones. You should see some birds huddled together under the heat source, some resting alone, some scratching in the litter, and some eating. Watch your chicks, their behavior says it all!

A Brinsea Radiant Heat Plate
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