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Water from water bottle/ bowls?

carolines

New Kit
My two 3m old netherland dwarfs were happily drinking out of their water bottle until last week when it froze on the first of the really cold nights and now they don't seem to be prepared to drink out of it even when perfectly fine and just filled up.

If I then put in a bowl of water they they go straight to it and drink as though they've not had water for a week. Water bottle level not going down in the meantime so don't think they are drinking from it.

Hmmm, any ideas or tips for getting them back onto their water bottle?

Thanks

Caroline
 
If they like the bowl then let them carry on using it :wave:

My boys have bottles and bowls in the runs - they much prefer the bowls as they can have a better slurp, but the bottles are there as back up.
 
I know what you mean- my lot are being funny about the bottles when i put them out after they have frozen again.

I'm doing the bottles every few hours currently as the bubble wrap wasn't working any better than having them bare.

I do have bowls as well, but they are not drinking out of them and sunny insists in peeing in his, so i have iced pee in a bowl now.

I'm giving mine veggies to supplement their water intake as there is some water in veg. Extra carrots and extra greens to nibble on with a few herbs. I usually don't give carrots routinely but i think they have a high water amount in them.

I'm sure they will adapt back to the bottles when the weather changes.
 
Honey has never used learned to use a water bottle and will only drink from a bowl. I use a stainless steel coop bowl that hooks onto the mesh on the hutch door so that she doesn't knock it over.

As the water bowl is inside the hutch it doesn't freeze. I have noticed that she is drinking a lot more in the colder weather.
 
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