Chicks are usually easy to get to drink. You will need to dip their beaks in the water and this will imprinted on them where the water source is. From now on they will handle it on their own. As for adult chickens you will only need to show them the waterer if they are newly added to your flock.
Do chickens need water?
A single chicken will need about 16 ounces, or one pint, of water a day. If you have a flock of four chickens, you’ll need a half-gallon of water per day.
Never limit a bird’s access to water or restrict it in any way. If chickens have inconsistent access to clean water, they won’t lay as well, eat as much, grow as fast, or look as healthy. Nobody likes to drink dirty water, including chickens. Water that contains pine shavings, dirt or poop may cause chickens to stop drinking.
Do chickens need fresh water every day?
One thing is sure: chickens need an ample supply of fresh, clean water available at all times. Their waterer must be clean of dirt and algae build-up, and the water must be reasonably fresh. Most chicken owners empty and refill their waterers at least every other day, to keep the water from going stale or getting fouled with dust and algae.
Your hens will drink more when it is hot. Other things that can affect the amount of water they drink will be size of the bird, whether they free range and if they are egg layers. Egg layers will drink more than those that do not lay eggs. And free ranging chickens will drink a little less because they get moisture from other sources.
Sometimes, on a freezing cold, dry winter day, a single chicken can drink more than 4 cups of water! So, if you have 8 chickens, for example, they will need at least 24 cups of water daily. It would be safer to give 32 – 40 cups though.
Another popular question is “How often to change chickens’ drinking water?”.
It depends on where you keep the water. If its in the shade 2 times should be good or when it gets dirty because the chickens play around with it. Try not to keep it in the sun and change it about 2-3 times like you said I do 2-3 times a day. That way they have fresh cool water.
What is a chicken waterer and how does it work?
Also known as a chicken drinker, a chicken waterer is essentially the device that holds your flocks water in which they drink from.
What chickens can and should not eat?
Yes, chickens can eat a whole fish, including raw fish carcasses, heads, bones, skin, fins and guts. Do not feed chickens a heavily buttered or deep fried fish, as it is too fatty for them. Yes, chickens can eat acorn squash, either raw or cooked. Chickens can eat all parts of the acorn squash, including the seeds and the skin.