Designing a Mess-Free, Feeder & Waterer – Need Your Insights!

[Audrey2024]

Hi everyone!

I’m a student studying industrial design and I'm working on a project to design a mess-free feeder and waterer combo that works well for ducks and potentially, chickens, and geese, especially in cold climates. I grew up raising chickens and ducks so I'm aware that ducks love to make a mess with their water, and winter brings frozen drinkers, clogged feeders, and all kinds of extra work.

I’d love to hear from you about your biggest struggles and best solutions when it comes to feeding and watering your flock!

Watering Challenges – How do you keep water from freezing in winter? Have you found ways to stop ducks from turning their water area into a muddy mess?
Feeding Struggles – Do your birds waste a lot of feed? Deal with pests, spillage, or bad weather ruining food?
Cold-Weather Issues – What’s the hardest part about keeping your flock’s food and water accessible in freezing temperatures?
DIY & Hacks – Have you come up with any clever homemade solutions that work well? What do you wish existed to make feeding/watering easier?

I want to create something practical, durable, and easy to use for keepers in all climates. Your stories, frustrations, and ideas would be a huge help in shaping this design.

Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts! Looking forward to learning from this amazing community.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

What a great idea! I want one when you are finished and am happy to help.

My 8 ducks have access to food and water 24/7.

For water, I use a heated dog bowl from the feed store. In the summer, it is unplugged. They do make the area around the bowl wet even though it is on a mesh riser (ikea, shoe rack). They also, accidentally step in it occasionally. I would suggest something like the dog water bowl but with a top with head sized ovals cut out of it. That way, they can get their hole head in but not their bodies.

For food, I feed pellets in a Grandpa’s feeder (Amazon). They do spill some. I keep the food and water at least a couple feet apart or they will turn the food to mush. I used to use a dog dish inside of a Halloween candy dish. That way, what is spilled is caught by the the dish. Rats got in my coop though. So, I switched to the Grandpa’s feeder. I don’t really have any suggestions for a design except for the bowl inside a bowl or something like the Grandpa’s but with a way to catch dropped feed.

Good luck! Let us know what you come up with .