Nipple watering

They likely will not take to the nipples if other water sources are available.  It is recommended to remove other bowls when introducing the nipple waterers.  In my experience, while they may go peck and check it out, they always return to the bowls.  So, you might want to save yourself the money.
I can vouch for this. Once they see the easier or more familiar waterer, they always go back and will refuse the nipple waterer.
 
Mine have nipple waterers in the run, and a galvanized pan outside. They switch from one to other with no issues at all. But they've all been using nipple waterers from the time they are tiny chicks, even those we hatch here, so that's always been their main source.
 
How about trying something other than plain water in the nipple waterer, if you can, something really tasty to draw them to it.
 
I raised two Salatin-style pens of Cornish this year and loosely copied his waterer design. I used a 5 gal bucket on top of the metal with quick release air hose fittings. Ran a piece of tubing down to a 5' piece of 1" pvc. I installed Solway horizontal nipples in the pvc and glued a ball valve at the end to flush it with. I noticed that some days that would drink more than others but I went out one day after work and found that they had pulled a nipple out of the pvc. I found that there was still a half full bucket of water but it wasn't dripping. There was some funky vacuum lock going on so I switched them to buckets with horizontal nipples inside the pens.

Does anyone know how to remedy this?
 
IMHO, the spring loaded horizontal nipples are better then the vertical. They have o-rings that seal them shut, using both water pressure and spring pressure.
I did have one start leaking, but it may be because it was in an unused (during the summer) bucket that was leaning against something else and may have been pushing the pin sideways, which deformed the o-ring.

Right now, I have a 55 gal plastic barrel in the coop with horizontal nipples all around it near the bottom, and a 250W bird bath heater inside the barrel. Just set it up so we'll see how well it works. (Supposed to be single digits by Wed. or Thurs. night)
 

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