Yep, that’s right, 9. They must have ended up there between midday and when I found them this evening. Any ideas how? Other than evil spirits or something :lol: There’s an electric fence next to the trough, but not touching, and the trough is plastic anyways. Haven’t really ever seen cats around. I’m in the southeast if that helps with pathogenic ideas.
They were thirsty?
I don’t know about your area, but around here the baby swallows are coming out of the nest, and they don’t know anything. Had three stuck in my barn today. The parents understand the translucent panels and how to get in and out, but the babies sure don’t.
Could really be something as simple as young thirsty birds. Put in a bird ladder?
[QUOTE=Simkie;8822884]
They were thirsty?
I don’t know about your area, but around here the baby swallows are coming out of the nest, and they don’t know anything. Had three stuck in my barn today. The parents understand the translucent panels and how to get in and out, but the babies sure don’t.
Could really be something as simple as young thirsty birds. Put in a bird ladder?[/QUOTE]
Actually… That makes a lot of sense. I bet you’re right. They sort of did look young. I’m sure you can imagine my alarm at NINE FRICKIN BIRDS in the trough, though.
There are LOTS of threads on preventing wildlife from drowning in a water trough.
Throw a section of semi-wide pine board in there as a float.
Once they are in the water they can’t get up to the rim and they will drown. they can get on the board and either live until you rescue them or fly away when they dry. Thirsty or naieve, the result is the same: deep water kills.
Probably best to bleach that water trough before reuse.
This will happen during long dry spells. Finding 9 is pretty usual. Must have been a small flock that all went for a drink at the same time.
A block of wood may do the trick. it has to be thin enough that they can climb up on and big enough it wouldn’t flip over while they are trying.
I put layers of rocks of various widths and size in my big tanks. So regardless of the water level they can find purchase to climb out.
They don’t generally die from drowning, not being able to swim. They float well enough. The usually die from a combination of hypothermia and which causes them to basically pass out roll over then drown.
This is a link to a post on my FB page from around this time last summer. It’s a video of a bird I was lucky enough to be walking by the tank and saw him/her barely holding on. As you can see the poor thing is shaking like a leaf. When I first put it on a warm turned over tank near by it could barely stand.
https://www.facebook.com/larry.ensor.7/videos/vb.100004142856657/536670543147703/?type=3&theater
Here are wildlife ladders:
http://www.sagegrouseinitiative.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/SGI_StockTank_Ladder_Design.pdf
The pictures:
I keep a shallow feed pan filled with water year round. It’s next to my frost free hydrant. I can top off the horse trough and the small pan (outside the horse corral) at the same time. Birds, squirrels, rabbits will use the pan.
Thanks guys, I’ll share with the pasture owner. She’s just getting her place started and since this hasn’t been an issue until now, nothing was ever placed to save wildlife. I’m sad for the birds 
And I bleached the trough right away.
You can get a paint roller thingamabob at home stores that’s similar to what Bluey uses, and it has arms to hook over the side. We always just floated a board, found many wet kittens on it, trying to lean over the side and drink like mom.
[QUOTE=Bluey;8822969]
Here are wildlife ladders:
http://www.sagegrouseinitiative.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/SGI_StockTank_Ladder_Design.pdf
The pictures:[/QUOTE]
Those would work real well for the birds. They wouldn’t last much more than a day or two with my horses, horses in general.
The picture on the right looks like an accident, vet bill waiting to happen. The other one would get bent up in no time. Especially with, by youngsters.
My MacGyver mind has been trying to come up with something that will work well for the birds, safe for the horses and stand the test of time.
The best thing I’ve come up with is to design a tank that has a bird walk/ladder molded into the tank when made. Or an after market horse tough plastic “ramp” designed to fit the popular tanks that most of us use. Firmly attached to the tank.
I just put a stick in there, with one side on the riim.
[QUOTE=gumtree;8823483]
Those would work real well for the birds. They wouldn’t last much more than a day or two with my horses, horses in general.
The picture on the right looks like an accident, vet bill waiting to happen. The other one would get bent up in no time. Especially with, by youngsters.
My MacGyver mind has been trying to come up with something that will work well for the birds, safe for the horses and stand the test of time.
The best thing I’ve come up with is to design a tank that has a bird walk/ladder molded into the tank when made. Or an after market horse tough plastic “ramp” designed to fit the popular tanks that most of us use. Firmly attached to the tank.[/QUOTE]
rat cages are expensive, but they have ‘walkways’ that disassemble easily. those are great for wildlife ladders… you can screw rubber hooks onto the top of the trough and secure ladder with the rubber hook – and no, are not a vet bill waiting to happen.
[QUOTE=StormyDay;8823504]
I just put a stick in there, with one side on the riim.[/QUOTE]
This^. I use an old fence post (NEVER pressure-treated or creosoted) in each of my 100-gallon Rubbermaid tubs. Very rarely any critters drowned. Without doing that, I’d have birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and sometimes even a WOODCHUCK! :eek: Critters gotta drink, too–a birdbath or shallow feeding pan placed on the ground nearby will also encourage them to stay out of your stock tubs or tanks.
We set a concrete cinder block on end. It is a couple inches under the water level, but has saved a couple of wet chickens who are determined to drink from the trough.
[QUOTE=gumtree;8823483]
Those would work real well for the birds. They wouldn’t last much more than a day or two with my horses, horses in general.
The picture on the right looks like an accident, vet bill waiting to happen. The other one would get bent up in no time. Especially with, by youngsters.
My MacGyver mind has been trying to come up with something that will work well for the birds, safe for the horses and stand the test of time.
The best thing I’ve come up with is to design a tank that has a bird walk/ladder molded into the tank when made. Or an after market horse tough plastic “ramp” designed to fit the popular tanks that most of us use. Firmly attached to the tank.[/QUOTE]
Some of the plastic tanks today have a small ramp built in along one side:
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_041023.pdf
You guys must have well behaved horses.
Youngsters even some of my older horses just live to play, fiddle with anything left in a tank other than rocks. Even the rocks, cinder blocks get pushed around.
Tried the stick and wood block method. With in a day or two even the same day both end up on the ground by the tank or somewhere in the paddock.
Tried the heavy metal screen set up pictured. Destroyed within days by the foot splashers.
Rat ladder wouldn’t last long with my guys.
Haven’t tried a cut down fence post yet. Secure it to the fence the tank sits by. Wouldn’t want the long end to get moved to the front of the tank another possible accident waiting to happen.
If I wan’t such a “nature guy” I wouldn’t worry too much about the odd birds especially because most are the pesky abundant sparrows.
When we were using some wood piece, they were regularly somewhere else than in the tank, courtesy of coons, I think, there were no other out there getting into those tanks.
It is not always the horses, at least around here, that play with things that are not well tied down.
[QUOTE=Bluey;8823904]
When we were using some wood piece, they were regularly somewhere else than in the tank, courtesy of coons, I think, there were no other out there getting into those tanks.
It is not always the horses, at least around here, that play with things that are not well tied down.[/QUOTE]
I hear you about pesky coons. They figured out how to open the window, rip through the screes to get into our feed room.
We get longish dry spells but nothing like a lot of people in the west. There is almost always flowing water in the area. Never seen coon prints around our tanks. Families living my my loft that need to be relocated from time to time.
Another option for a Get Out of the Trough float is an old hay net. When I had troughs, I tied one on and let is loosely float on the top. No more Squirrel- or Crow-A-Cides 
