Vertical (gravity) vs. horizontal (spring loaded) watering nipples

[aart]

Hi and thanks for your replies. I solved the leaking by buying the correct size drill bit. Duh. I'm thinking the issue is no air hole in the container. Of course their were no installation instructions with the nipples. I followed someone's YouTube video
Soooo that said if I add an air hole my girls will not have to struggle to get water ? Yippee.
I have a heated bucket I was hoping to use for winter. We are in n e ohio where the winters are brutal. If I drill the holes through the side at or near the bottom do you think that would help to keep them from freezing?
Thanks
Cheryl

What kind of heated bucket....can you post a link?

The horizontal nipples will be the best for not freezing as the valve is inside the vessel......
.....tho there's a possibility that the tiny bit of water that can sit on the lip of those nipples could still freeze and impede the function.

You want the horizontal nipples on the sides towards the bottom of the bucket anyway.

 

[DaveOmak]

Water nipples only work under low pressure ( 5.5 psi or less ). Do not conect directly to a garden
hose ( house water pressure is around 30 to 75 psi ). If you want to have it connected directly to
a garden hose then a water pressure reguator is required.

conversely, if the bucket has only 3 or 4" of water in it, the pressure "may not" be sufficient to seal the nipples.... they may leak...

the spring loaded nipples probably will not leak at low water levels....

 

[iwiw60]

Hi and thanks for your replies. I solved the leaking by buying the correct size drill bit. Duh. I'm thinking the issue is no air hole in the container. Of course their were no installation instructions with the nipples. I followed someone's YouTube video
Soooo that said if I add an air hole my girls will not have to struggle to get water ? Yippee.
I have a heated bucket I was hoping to use for winter. We are in n e ohio where the winters are brutal. If I drill the holes through the side at or near the bottom do you think that would help to keep them from freezing?
Thanks
Cheryl

Hi Cheryl...yes, with horizontal water nipples it is imperative that you use only a 3/8" drill bit to make the holes.. The good thing is you figured it out! As for an "air hole" ... just place the lid to your bucket on the top and 'snap' only 1 or 2 spots, no more. That way the lid is plenty of air space.

As for your existing heated water bucket, it really depends on how strong the plastic bucket is in the first place. Is your heated bucket the kind with the heater built in to the bottom of it? Can you post a pic?

 

[threadcrafters]

Its a horse bucket actually so not sure of the size exactly but I believe the coils are in the bottom so I would not want to drill there. The buckets are expensive so I want to do this right. I know there are other options but I don't want to take up any more floor space if I can help it.
This is the style of my 'Chicken Condo' as I call it. I modified it to my space so it is inside my barn and the back is solid barn wall. I cut an opening for them to go out into a screened play area where they are safe and instead of a door I used plexiglass to create their own 'patio door' so they get more light and fresh air. My man door..or in my case lady door is on the far right instead of the middle and the upper area is where their roosts and nesting box is. I made my little ramp a door so I can close it so they would be more secure when they were small and warmer in winter. Now I leave it down. The door on the box (left side) I made out of wire so they get more light and air and I can reach the eggs. All of the wire is 1/4" hardware cloth. Predators predators....we have them all. I did not do the nesting box on the far left...no room. Mine takes up 10'wide by 5'deep by 6'h. I lined the roosting/nest area and the floor with rubber mats that nothing can get through and I can clean them easily! Its very easy to slide the mat out from the roosting area and just dump it and rinse it off . It was a fun project and I'm pretty comfortable that nothing can get in...but did end up buying a camera as well. A mom can't be too careful don't you know...lol. I'm a nut I guess but can't help it.
I have a big area in front of the barn which is fenced for horses so the girls can come and go out there into another protected run or their house...however we have attracted hawks. They spotted those chicks when they were outside on the grass with us as babies and every time I let them out the hawks circle over head...so more covered fence is in the future. I can't think of any other way to keep them away other than shooting them which I'm not inclined to do even though I think I would be legally allowed to do if they are after my birds.
Any one have any good ideas about hawks?? I have 4 Golden Laced Wyandottes btw

 

[aart]

You can not legally shoot any predatory bird anywhere in the US for any reason, unless you have passed the arduous permitting process required for such an activity.

You can actually use a 5/16 drill for the nipples, you just don't thread it in as far - depending on the material of the vessel. Practice on a scrap piece of the same material.

Is your horse bucket something like this? Just make sure it's not double walled.

 

[DaveOmak]

This is from one of the sellers site....


5 Horizontal Poultry Nipples

Horizontal poultry nipples don't drip and leak like vertical nipples tend to do. Chickens easily learn how to use them and you can feel confident that your birds are drinking clean water. The tapered thread makes it a breeze to install. Your order will include instructions. Nipples are spring loaded and made in Europe.


100% Guaranteed no leaking or dripping~Always Pristine Water~Easy Maintenance~100% Customer Satisfaction

Please email [email protected] if you have any problems with your order, We will ALWAYS FIX IT. Thanks


Installing Tips:
The manufacturer recommends using 11/32 Drill Bit.
One nipple waters 6-8 birds.
If you are making a bucket we recommend drilling a 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 inch hole in the lid for easy re-filling or adding de-icer for winter climates.

More tips are included in our instructions as is our email address and our phone number....We are here to be of service to You! Happy Watering!

 

[aart]

Can you add a link to that @DaveOmak ?

 

[LindaB220]

Hi and thanks for your replies. I solved the leaking by buying the correct size drill bit. Duh. I'm thinking the issue is no air hole in the container. Of course their were no installation instructions with the nipples. I followed someone's YouTube video
Soooo that said if I add an air hole my girls will not have to struggle to get water ? Yippee.
I have a heated bucket I was hoping to use for winter. We are in n e ohio where the winters are brutal. If I drill the holes through the side at or near the bottom do you think that would help to keep them from freezing?
Thanks
Cheryl

I'm so glad this came up. A fellow is coming tomorrow to make me some buckets and I had totally forgotten about the air holes. Timely. He's finishing my second coop so I'll be set for the winter. I'm in La outside of Shreveport so no worries about freezing. Love this idea.

@DaveOmak These are the ones I ordered from you last month. Finally getting to use them.

 

[DaveOmak]

Can you add a link to that @DaveOmak ?

I copied it from a listing on e-bay.... I think that seller is a member on this forum.... Good guy to deal with... I bought my nipples from him...

 

[aart]

Quote: You can copy the url from up in the address feild too ;-)