Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-09-03
POULTRY
Water for Fowls.


The methods OF supplying water to
fowls are usually crude. On the
farm especially where the labor should
be reduced to minimum, we find the
least attention paid to worksaving
arrangements. The large poultry
keepers go about the matter in busi-
ness like way and make arrangements
for the automatic watering of the
fowls and thus save many steps and
much attention. But on most farms
the woman of the house or some
member of the family has to keep
watch of the hens to see that their
water supply does not fail. This gives
one more thing to think about in the
care OF poultry, and 1t makes many
steps necessary. The open pans get
Shiny, and the water gets warm In
the summer sun and becomes good
breeding place for germs that some.
times carry destruction to the flock.
There is no doubt that the water
trough is very common means of
spreading roup from one fowl to an
other.
There are numerous automatic
watering devices, but most of the
commercial arrangements are too
small to be serviceable. They hold
enough water for a sitting hen and
flock of chicks but that is about all.
In fact, for flock of hen and chicks
a little homemade arrangement will
suffice. Take shallow pan that will
not rust and invert in it quart or
larger bottle full of water. The water
will flow out Of 1t only till the air is
shut off by the rising water in the
pan. After that the water will run
out of the bottle into the pan only
as fast as the water in the pan is
lowered. This bottle will hold the
water for several days supply. The
pan that holds it may be made Of
wood rather than of metal and this
will save all tendency to rust in the
material.
An automatic fountain of any size
may be made for the large flock. A
barrel may be used If 1t Is desired. A
wine barrel should be fitted with an
iron pipe running from the bottom OF
the barrel to the trough in which the
fowls are to receive their water. This
pipe should have a faucet in it at
some point SO that the water may be
turned off while the barrel Is being
filled. This barrel full of water will
last several days. Ii 1t is desired to
give the fowls pure water all the time,
little hole may be bored in the
trough that will allow the water to
run out and this will in turn draw the
water from the barrel. The stream
can be adjusted to any size so that
the water in the barrel will last as
long as desired. Where the farmer
has a windmill, tank and hose, the
barrel may be easily filled at any
time, and the owner will feel like
being more liberal with the water
than would be the case had he to car
ry or haul the water for the fowls.
Probably every farmer understands
the principle of air pressure, and the
fact that up to height of "a feet
water will not run out of vessel I'M
less air can get, in to fill its place.
1t Is possible to invent numerous
methods Of employing this principle.
A little study of the matter will result
In many happy arrangements to save
labor. Wherever possible the water
should be frequently changed either
automatically or otherwise. Stagnant
water soon becomes foul with food.
especially where the birds have soft
food once or more times day, as they
will go to the drinking trough after
eating and more or less of the mate.
rial remaining on their bills gets into
the water.