DRINKING VESSELS 



155 



number of birds that are to feed from it. A hopper holding five 

 bushels is much more efficient and more practical than one holding 

 one-half bushel. Tongue-and-groove lumber without beads is a 

 suitable material for the construction of a hopper. 



Drinking Vessels. There are two distinct types of drinking 

 utensils, open and closed. The open vessels are those from which 

 the birds drink directly at the surface, and as the water is consumed 

 the surface is constantly lowered. The closed form of drinking 

 utensil is usually of the " vacuum " type. In deciding on what 

 type to use, the following features should be considered : 



(1) Drinking water should be kept clean and free from dust 

 and litter; therefore, a covered drinking vessel is better. (2) The 

 vessel should also be of a type 

 quickly filled or emptied, and be 

 easily and quickly cleaned. (3) It 

 should be so constructed as to pre- 

 vent the birds from roosting on it 

 and polluting the water with their 

 droppings. (4) It should be of 

 relatively large capacity, for a 

 larger volume of water remains 

 cool longer in the summer and 

 does not freeze so quickly in the 

 winter as in the case of an ex- 

 tremely small volume. 



Location of Fountain. If pos- 

 sible the drinking fountain should 

 be raised above the floor. A good 

 place is a small shelf or platform 

 raised a foot or more above the 



floor, considerably larger than the fountain, so that the birds will 

 have room enough to stand on the platform when drinking. In 

 the summer it should be located, if possible, where no sun will 

 shine directly upon it and warm it up quickly. In the winter it is 

 better to have the fountain in as sunny a place as possible. 



Types of Drinking Vessels. Two types of drinking vessels 

 have been mentioned. The open drinking utensils are the ones 

 generally found on poultry farms. They usually consist of a pail 

 or tub, kept as full as possible of fresh water, located on the floor 

 or on an elevated platform. When it is desired to provide an 

 abundance of fresh water in extremely warm weather, the open 



FIG. 103. A practical drinking foun- 

 tain. A ten-quart galvanized fire pail 

 inverted in a milk pan with three-inch rim. 



