Large Cattle Trough

[Unicornlife3316]

My chickens get fresh water daily in their coop and in the barn where they prefer to hang out but I also have a large metal trough for my cows, barn cats and guineas... I caught the chickens drinking out of it yesterday ::gasp::

Is this bad for them? Could it be? How can I stop them if it is!?

The trough is cleaned weekly and doesn’t have algae or leaves or anything in it, but obviously, cows are nasty so they drool in it.

 

[ColtHandorf]

Honestly no harm should come to them from drinking after the cattle. I'd be more concerned about one of them falling, or getting pushed in and drowning. I've never had adult birds do that, but I have had younger "started" birds that have fallen into open containers of water when unattended.

 

[Unicornlife3316]

Honestly no harm should come to them from drinking after the cattle. I'd be more concerned about one of them falling, or getting pushed in and drowning. I've never had adult birds do that, but I have had younger "started" birds that have fallen into open containers of water when unattended.

These are about 15-16 weeks old, so not little by any means. I can probably put a piece of wood or something in it, so they could climb out if they did manage to fall in.

 

[Folly's place]

I've lost one bird, a young Cochin, in one of my stock tanks. a friend lost two birds in one of hers. this is over decades, so very few losses overall. Sad each time though!
I try to keep mine full, so there's a way to clamber to the edge if needed. Chickens don't do well in deep water!
Mary

 

[Unicornlife3316]

I've lost one bird, a young Cochin, in one of my stock tanks. a friend lost two birds in one of hers. this is over decades, so very few losses overall. Sad each time though!
I try to keep mine full, so there's a way to clamber to the edge if needed. Chickens don't do well in deep water!
Mary

Oh that is so sad, definitely don’t want mine to drown.

This has an automatic pump on it, so it’s never below the edge but I’m thinking of a ramp so if anything did fall in, it had a way to get out. My guineas have always done well with it, but maybe that’s been luck

Thanks for the suggestions

 

[ColtHandorf]

Mine were also cochins that fell in. I think those feathered feet are a bit like falling into the ocean with steel-toed boots on.

 

[Rammy]

Ive lost several chickens to falling into the trough either trying to drink out of it or flying over the fence and landing in it. I tried putting a "ramp" in there to help them get out if it happened when I wasnt home, but the cows just pulled it out. It didnt matter how I attached it. So I had to move the trough and also just keep the hens penned up so they couldnt get to it. Ive even had them drown in a muck bucket I used for a water trough for my horse.

 

[ColtHandorf]

They make the floating dock things for pools to help small animals, etc that fall into those. I'll bet you could get one and fix it to the side of the trough as a precautionary manner.

 

[Folly's place]

My horses or steers would demolish (look, a new toy!) anything placed in a water trough. Anything! One of my mares (about 1200 pounds) likes to paw in the 100 gal. tank, and has tipped it over more than once if it's only half full.
Mary

 

[Alaskan]

My chickens get fresh water daily in their coop and in the barn where they prefer to hang out but I also have a large metal trough for my cows, barn cats and guineas... I caught the chickens drinking out of it yesterday ::gasp::

Is this bad for them? Could it be? How can I stop them if it is!?

The trough is cleaned weekly and doesn’t have algae or leaves or anything in it, but obviously, cows are nasty so they drool in it.

They will on occasion drown in the tank.

And yes, it is a difficult and tricky thing to wire something in there that the horses especially wouldn't yank out.

I don't think the cows are as bad.