Finally!

I finally got around to ordering (could finally afford to order) the "not a baby" sized water and feed dishes for the chickens!  At nearly 24 weeks (tomorrow), they are still using chick dishes!

I ordered a set of 5 chicken nipples, plastic and metal things like a gerbil or rabbit drinks from, and a 12 pound feeder made of Galvanized metal.  I also ordered a game, Pass the Pigs, but that was merely to save on shipping costs!  All totaled I ended up  paying $4.99 shipping on the nipples, but saved what remained from the initial shipping cost of $21.94 by ordering an $8 game!  I then got an even better deal on shipping, Amazon offered me a free month to use their "Prime" service which allows for free 2-day shipping!  So, my feeder and game should be here no later than September 1st (this Thursday) and my nipples (the one I had to pay shipping on) should be here by the 9th (next Friday)!

Of course, I will then have to create my watering system...I'm planning on making two smaller buckets, each with a single nipple in it.  "They" say you should have 1 nipple for every three chickens, but since Gerty doesn't really like to share anything, I'm going to double up!  I have a plethora of unused buckets in my garage...some 5-gallon and a few 2-3 gallon.  I plan on using the smaller buckets, but may end up making a single large one, like pictured as well.  I will still need to get a heated water system for the freezing months, but these will make having plenty of water available the other months much easier!  Also, Gerty has developed a love for water...I mean like "duck-love of water"!  I have taken to adding a "sandwich sized" plastic dish of water to the run to keep them hydrated all day during the really warm days (we had 4-5 days last week over 90 degrees).  However, Gerty decided I put it there for her to cool her feet in!  I have always heard how much chickens hate getting wet, but as soon as I fill it, she is standing knee deep in it!  I have to laugh though, since doing it, every time I go outside, I can tell she's been in her "wading pool"...her feet seem to be permanently wet!  Because she likes standing in the extra water, getting it all off the ground is a great idea...

As for the feeder...this will be ginormous compared to the pint jar screwed into the chick feeder they currently use!  I thought about spending the $4 on the cover for the top, but after the shipping price on it, it just wasn't worth the money.  I plan on fashioning "something" for it though, even if it simply a bucket lid!  This thing will hold almost a quarter of the feed bags I buy (50 pounds), so I am going to have to play with how much I actually put in it so they don't start really wasting feed on me!

It should be an interesting few weeks while we make the transition to new feeders...