1) Start with 1, 2 Liter Soda Bottle
2) Use a utility razor knife and start a cut just at the top of the label then use scissors to cut the top off right along the label.
3) For newborn waterers, remove the label and measure 1 ½ inches down from the (now) top (cut) edge of the water bottle and mark with a ruler and permenant marker and cut along that line with the scissors.
4) Find a small lid such as the soda bottle lid, top to a small medicine bottle, for a bigger hole I used the lid from a small Vick’s Vapor Rub Bottle. Hole needs to be big enough for the baby to stick it’s face into at a downward angle. Hole needs to be too small to fit body into as chicks can crawl in and drowned if allowed the chance.
5) Find 2 places towards the front of the bottle and trace with marker around the lid you have found to make to circles somewhat separated. If the waterer is to be placed in the middle of an open area 4 circles could be placed evenly around the bottle. ( I put the bottle in a corner because it is so tall and only make 2 holes)
6) Use the utility knife and jab it in the middle of the circles and twist it to make a rough hole, use scissors stuck in the hole to cut outward and make a more perfect circle.

The bottom of the water bottle is done.

Fill intact bottle to ¼ full of water and sit it as it normally sits. Take the bottom with the holes in it and turn bottom up and push onto the intact bottle with the water in it. Push down until the rim of the intact bottle is around ¼ inch past the holes. Turn upside down to check the placement. If the water starts flowing out the holes the bottom part isn’t pushed far enough onto the water holding bottle, if the water level settles out far below the holes then it was pushed on too far. Turn back over and adjust as needed. When you have it just the way you like it use a permanent marker and run a line right around the cut edge of the bottom bottle leaving a line on the water holding bottle right where the bottom piece should go to. This will make for quick cleaning and refilling in the future as it will tell you how far to push the bottom on. For newborns I recommend running a green permanent marker around the edges of the holes to attract the babies to the holes when they are first learning.

As the babies grow you can make new bottles, raising the holes. As you raise the holes, cut less then the 1 ½ inches in step 3 until you aren’t cutting any extra off at all. This ensures that everything fits together fairly easily.

When you raise the holes and are not cutting off any in step 3 sometimes as the bottle drains into the bottom section it "sucks up" and slips deeper into the bottom section. If this happens get any kind of yarn or cord and wrap it very snugly several times around the bottle at your mark an tie it off. This will keep the bottle from slipping down . If the water holding bottle gets cruddy, just toss it into the recycling and make up another clean one. The bottom is washable since you can get your hand in there to scrub it.

This bottle isn’t neccisarily “professional” looking (though one could make their own labels or cover to dress it up) but it WORKS better then anything else I have tried- and I have tried EVERYTHING! Babies have a really hard time splashing the water around inside the bottle let alone out of the bottle. This bottle holds a lot of water so you have to refill less (you’ll still have to clean out the bottom section every day or two as they are always dropping food in there- moving it a distance away from the food helps)You may get a small damp mess right around the bottle (which can be set inside a deep jar lid or shallow bowl as long as it doesn’t interfere with the babies reaching the water) but the majority of the bedding elsewhere will stay nice and dry as will the babies. Dry baby waterfowl are happy and healthy baby waterfowl.