Simple Solutions

When trying to do something just right, it's easy to overthink a problem. For the last couple of years, I have wanted to improve our watering system for the turkeys during their 3rd phase of growout. This is when they are pretty large and have outgrown many of the watering solutions that work for chickens. Earlier this year I built a shaded structure that would hold 5 ten foot sections of drinker lines. This was an elaborate solution that took a good deal of time in the shop and a fair amount of resources. Ultimately, it didn't work. I think it could work and even be a superior solution with a different style of drinker line, but I don't have the right style and I need a solution now. When I discovered that this new apparatus wasn't doing the job, I pulled out the old water troughs that we had used in previous years. Immediately all the reasons that I disliked this system came back to me. Some turkeys would eventually jump into the tank, obviously contaminating the water. In previous years this led to us cleaning and refilling the trough multiple times per day. So, I decided to do what I often do when trying to solve a problem. I just hung out in the pasture and watched. I watched how they drank from the trough. The angle and ergonomics appeared really good. I decided this trough could work well if I could solve a few problems. 1) stop the turkeys from being able to contaminate the water by jumping in the trough. 2) whatever keeps them from getting in, they cant be enticed to roost on top where dropping would go in the water 3) water in this shallow trough gets hot in the sun, so a shade would be nice. After hanging out in the pasture for a while I visualized several more complex solutions. I was able to eventually simplify it down to the example in the photo. a section of heavy bull fencing shaped to fit the interior dimension of the trough. with a section of plywood cut larger than the trough attached to the top of the wire. This whole apparatus can easily be lifted out of the trough for cleaning, and so far has kept the water clean and cool. It's not elaborate or sophisticated, it just works. Simple solutions are the most satisfying.