Heated waterer/ can you teach old chickens new tricks?

[ChicksofHeaven]

Hi all! I have taken on my sister in law’s hens as she went south for the winter. I’m in south east South Dakota where temps hover around freezing through daytime hours, below freezing over night and it will dip even colder, single digits and -0 before winter is over.
For that reason, I picked up a thermostatic controlled heated waterer with nipple trough. I have tried all the suggestions to get them to use it… I put mealworms on the the nipple mount, on the trough, I let water dribble down the side so they realized it’s water (they recognize that!).
On separate occasions I caught two of them and brought them to the waterer, showed them the water, pressed their beaks to the metal release part…. Made sure they smacked their breaks in water drinking motions.
Today I sat in the coop with them for over an hour and kept showing them water…. Tried to attach a video but I can’t… Rue McClanahan pecked the meal worms off the waterer elements, but won’t peck the nipple part. She’s the most curious… I finally picked up Rue MacClanahan and showed her and her beak the water and the nozzle again… she drank but I’m not sure she’ll go on her own any more than she has since the last time I showed her.
They are still laying so they are not too dehydrated.
- yes I took other waterers out of the coop and run. When we let them free range, there is a pan of water by the water faucet and they run out there right away in the morning. It’s usually frozen.

- we have seen them peck at the outside of the building when snow melts trickles down the side, so I know they have critical thinking skills when it comes to water!!

Any suggestions to get them to adapt. I went with the nipple release to keep water off their waddles in freezing temps. Don’t want to spend money on another heated waterer. Can you teach older chickens new tricks?

 

[Debbie292d]

We've used a 5-gallon DYI bucket with nipples for 7 years. All it took was to get one to do it and never had to worry about it since. You did right to remove all other water and I also did what you did by forcibly showing one. I'd walk away as they will be thirsty, curious, and hit a nipple and they'll all be doing it shortly.

We also use the verticle ones in bottles for chicks and I don't even have to teach them.

 

[aart]

It can take time, some pick it up quickly, others not so much.
How long have you had them?
I'd leave them confined to coop with just that waterer and keep an eye on the water level so you can tell if they are using it.

 

[ChicksofHeaven]

It can take time, some pick it up quickly, others not so much.
How long have you had them?
I'd leave them confined to coop with just that waterer and keep an eye on the water level so you can tell if they are using it.

I’ve had them since October. Changed the waterer before Christmas.
We will try keeping them in the coop. It’s cold and expected snow the next few days.

 

[Penpal]

They will eat the snow. I don't like it either, but once it snows they may not be enticed to the waterer in the coop. Be sure and keep them inside until they do.

 

[aart]

They will eat the snow.

They do indeed. it always kinda blows my mind at how water consumption drops when there is snow on the ground.

 

[ChicksofHeaven]

UPDATE: The Golden Girls seem to have caught on! The waterer is raised up on a concrete block and there is evidence of water dripping down onto the concrete, and the water level inside the tank is moving the right direction!
I did have to grab Rue mcClanahan again for some remedial education… in which she learned that she could just bump the silver part with her beak.
I’m so proud and relieved!

 

[hunterbruce2die4]

It took only two days to train mine. I use a five gallon bucket with horizontal nipples, and I have it suspended. I took all of the other water away and sat with them next to the waterer. I think the key was that the water would slightly puddle on the nipple and they would drink that, then get confused. I just kept the nipples puddles and it wasn't long before two of them got it and they taught the others.

 

[Debbie292d]

It took only two days to train mine. I use a five gallon bucket with horizontal nipples, and I have it suspended. I took all of the other water away and sat with them next to the waterer. I think the key was that the water would slightly puddle on the nipple and they would drink that, then get confused. I just kept the nipples puddles and it wasn't long before two of them got it and they taught the others.

Welcome to BYC!! We too use the DYI 5-gallon nipple bucket, then keep the coop from freezing in the winter so we don't have to haul water and no open water in the coop either, so bonus!

 

[Leatherworker]

Hi all! I have taken on my sister in law’s hens as she went south for the winter. I’m in south east South Dakota where temps hover around freezing through daytime hours, below freezing over night and it will dip even colder, single digits and -0 before winter is over.
For that reason, I picked up a thermostatic controlled heated waterer with nipple trough. I have tried all the suggestions to get them to use it… I put mealworms on the the nipple mount, on the trough, I let water dribble down the side so they realized it’s water (they recognize that!).
On separate occasions I caught two of them and brought them to the waterer, showed them the water, pressed their beaks to the metal release part…. Made sure they smacked their breaks in water drinking motions.
Today I sat in the coop with them for over an hour and kept showing them water…. Tried to attach a video but I can’t… Rue McClanahan pecked the meal worms off the waterer elements, but won’t peck the nipple part. She’s the most curious… I finally picked up Rue MacClanahan and showed her and her beak the water and the nozzle again… she drank but I’m not sure she’ll go on her own any more than she has since the last time I showed her.
They are still laying so they are not too dehydrated.
- yes I took other waterers out of the coop and run. When we let them free range, there is a pan of water by the water faucet and they run out there right away in the morning. It’s usually frozen.

- we have seen them peck at the outside of the building when snow melts trickles down the side, so I know they have critical thinking skills when it comes to water!!

Any suggestions to get them to adapt. I went with the nipple release to keep water off their waddles in freezing temps. Don’t want to spend money on another heated waterer. Can you teach older chickens new tricks?

Try squeeze cheese. I use that for giving pills. No fuss, they take anything with some squeeze cheese on it. I just ordered some nipples to try and I will use small amounts of that on them to get them started. They LOVE the cheese! I figure its not really that good for them, so I only use it in very small amounts. But as soon as they see the can they act like vultures! They jump up the try and get it. So I'm thinking that will work.