Nipple watering

[SWoRN]

My spoiled chickens did not like the horizontal nipples and we ended up have to change them out for the cups instead. They LOVE them!! We have 2 in the run and 3 outside of the coop.

 

[WVDoug]

Is there a strong consensus either way for using heat tape around the outside of the bucket or for using an aquarium heater inside? Going to be making a 5 gallon two nipple waterer soon and want to make sure I'm good for the winter, we've been down to -15F before here... Granted, it will be inside the coop, but I don't like to take chances.

I've been using one of these for the last two winter with no problem (other than the aluminum oxidizing).
Maybe a coat of paint applied before using it the first time would help.
http://www.amazon.com/Farm-Innovato...13745&sr=8-2&keywords=farm+innovators+de-icer

 

[MeepBeep]

Is there a strong consensus either way for using heat tape around the outside of the bucket or for using an aquarium heater inside?  Going to be making a 5 gallon two nipple waterer soon and want to make sure I'm good for the winter, we've been down to -15F before here...  Granted, it will be inside the coop, but I don't like to take chances.

I did some test this winter, I'll have to dig up my results later... For my 55 gallon barrel I had a 250W titanium aquarium heater hooked up to an external thermostat that regulated the water at about 45° and that appeared to do well, but I never tested it in extremes as I heat my coop so it rarely falls bellow freezing in there... But, I did do a few experiments with a 5 gallon waterer outside in the open, using a Tetra 2-15 aquarium heater (cheap at Walmart) ideally I would advise against glass unless you waterer design is designed to never run dry, if it runs dry with glass they can explode... Actually in any instance they should be designed to never run dry with any heater... Anyway I just used the Tetra heater as is with it's fixed heat setting that I believe is about 74°, way overkill for this application but it was only a test.... I'll get the results but it did quite well outside, can't remember the lowest temp I tested to but one thing I noticed that if any ice did accumulate overnight as soon as the sun hit it in the morning or the first bird pecked it the ice was gone...

 

[Mosey2003]

Thanks!

 

[mamatink7]

Anyone have major issues with their nipple waterers??
I had a nipple just start draining out and completely soaked half the coop floor!!! This is a great system (even Though took forever for the little girls to actually use it) but I hate the dripping and now complete disaster.
We WILL be changing to the nipple cup waterer PVC system but until this, I switched back to the double fount that can be heated. I had over filling issue months ago with this one. Fixed it and hopefully this will work in the coop with little mess.

 

[PingoBags]

Anyone have major issues with their nipple waterers??
I had a nipple just start draining out and completely soaked half the coop floor!!! This is a great system (even Though took forever for the little girls to actually use it) but I hate the dripping and now complete disaster.
We WILL be changing to the nipple cup waterer PVC system but until this, I switched back to the double fount that can be heated. I had over filling issue months ago with this one. Fixed it and hopefully this will work in the coop with little mess.

I use nipples in the run. I do get some dripage when they drink but it isn't an issue.

I use to have a nipple waterer in the coop and to solve the dripage, I cut about a 2 inch bottom portion off a 1 gallon water jug and connected it
about 4 inches below the nipples. Any drips would land in the jug and would get used eventually.
I had no wasted water doing it that way so the coop stayed dry.

I've not had any nipple failures yet.
Maybe a small piece of debris got into the water and got lodged in the nipple.
I'll probably have a lot of failures this winter if my water heater doesn't work, it's untested.

 

[mamatink7]

I use nipples in the run. I do get some dripage when they drink but it isn't an issue.

I use to have a nipple waterer in the coop and to solve the dripage, I cut about a 2 inch bottom portion off a 1 gallon water jug and connected it
about 4 inches below the nipples. Any drips would land in the jug and would get used eventually.
I had no wasted water doing it that way so the coop stayed dry.

I've not had any nipple failures yet.
Maybe a small piece of debris got into the water and got lodged in the nipple.
I'll probably have a lot of failures this winter if my water heater doesn't work, it's untested.

thank you for responding. I don't dripping in the run but definitely not cool to be draining out on wood floor of coop. I was so upset. I'm going to redo all 4 nipples so I can use in the run and hope for the best with this fount waterer for now. How did you attach the circle to the bottom? This sound like it would work for us too. Thx again!

 

[MeepBeep]

Anyone have major issues with their nipple waterers??

Vertical nipples tended to always develop a leak for me due to my hard water, but I have had zero problems since I switched to horizontal nipples...

 

[mamatink7]

Vertical nipples tended to always develop a leak for me due to my hard water, but I have had zero problems since I switched to horizontal nipples...

thanks. Perhaps that's our problem, we have well water that's very hard. The horizontal nipples, is that one's on the bucket side with a cup underneath? If not, what is it?

 

[PingoBags]

thanks. Perhaps that's our problem, we have well water that's very hard. The horizontal nipples, is that one's on the bucket side with a cup underneath? If not, what is it?

I use very hard well water too and haven't had issues as of yet, time will tell. I also bypass the water softener.

Everyone says horizontal nipples are great for winter, I've not used them so I can't say if they drip or not.
I will try sourcing some cheaply before the deep freeze starts, if my heated waterer doesn't keep them warm enough, they will freeze for sure.
I've already had -2

℃ some nights and the cold isn't even here yet.​

About your other question about how I attached the jug.
My waterer was up against the coop wall so I only had to screw the jug to the wall aswell, about 4 inches below.

The only reason I changed the way I watered is to make it easier for me.
My coop is small and the small door I used to access the waterer is now inside a covered run I made for the coming winter.
So I made a new one and moved it into the covered run.
The bucket handle hangs from two bent L brackets I screwed to a 2x3.
Those two panels stop the chickens from standing on the waterer.
It's easy to refill and stays clean of poo.