Chicken water nipples reviews?

[hamilton3475]

Any of you guys that use or have used the chicken water nipples, please share your experience. I'm thinking of buying and trying some myself. They sound great, but they look awfully cheap. Anyone had any crack or freeze and bust?

 

[SmokinChick]

I have used them since I started chickens, brooder to laying. All right its only been 8 months, but anyway!
I love them. Check out my page, page 2. Neil Grassbaugh, a member here sells them. Good prices and customer support, PM him. For cold weather I have 3 of them in a 5 gal bucket with a submersible bird bath heater in it. We'll see how it works this winter!
You may read how the chickens "don't get enough to drink". IMO if the chickens were still thirsty they would hangout under the nips all day. They don't, they tap the nip a few times then move on. Haven't lost a bird to dehydration yet.
Use a black bucket or paint one dark, cuts down on alge and slime. I also found the "Gamma lid" It afixes to any 5 gal bucket then allows you to use its threaded insert for easy access to the bucket.
I have used the "screw in" and the "push in" types. Use the push ins.
Good Luck

 

[jmagill]

I am using a bucket.

Maybe the height of the nipples is the problem. If the nipples are too high or too low, the chickens have a hard time directing the water in to their mouths and water spills on to the floor. I also have found that too many nipples is not good as well. The more each nipple is used the less chance you have in getting stuck open or closed. I have two nipples for 15 chickens.

 

[Justahannah]

We went with about 5 ft of 4" PVC and push in nipples, threaded caps on both ends to make it easy to fill and flush the system (it holds about 5 gallons). Our little coop and run are more like a tractor since we move them around almost weekly, so it's nice having it attached. My husband threw it on when circumstances called for getting the chicks out of the house quicker than anticipated, so I plan on eventually doing something different with the brackets, maybe hanging the lower pipe from chains or something that will look a little nicer. I also keep fish, so I figure in the winter I'll put a spare aquarium heater down the tube to prevent freezing. So far, we absolutely love the nipples, one chick figured it out and the others learned from him pretty quick, they don't appear dehydrated at all, and it's been so nice not having to fight a muddy water jug a couple times a day.

 

[lshepard]

We have them and we have one that drips or pours!! Don't know what to do but we have got to do something else..we are wasting water. Any ideas let me know!

 

[MelissaTXRn]

I use the horizontal ones that Rich sells. BEST decision I have made regarding chickens. They do not leak, they stay clean and I don't have to haul water everyday. I would recommend them to anyone. They will save you tons of work. My chickens were using them within an hour.

 

[Rich386]

how do the nipples work in winter? Will an aquarium heater in the bucket prevent the nipples from freezing?

The way they are constructed only the back tip of the valve is exposed to the water. They will only freeze if the pipe or pail freezes.

 

[katbriar]

I have not found any means to keep a nipple system from freezing here in the north, without compromising the safety of the coop.  None whatsoever.  Once those temps dip below 0°F and your nostrils freeze shut instantly upon going outside, there's pretty much nothing you can do.  Kick the rubber bucket or get a heated dog dish.     It's been a rough winter.  My nipple waterer is out of commission, waiting for spring.

I have three fittings in the bottom of a five gallon bucket and use a bucket heater purchased at the local farm store. It sits on the bottom of the bucket, kicks on only when it needs to, and jeeps both the water and the fittings thawed.

I don't know when it would be too cold to work, but it kept up to -15F degree nights this winter.

 

[Mukchickens]

I just can't wait to try mine. And placed them in 2" PVC pipe and have them attached to a water cooler. I have one inside and one outside the coop. The cooler will be filled with ice in the summer.

 

[LoneOak]

Quote:
Two or three birds will out grow that real quick. It'll give you a week or so to come up with something bigger.