Watch Chickens with Horizontal Nipples - Leave extra water source in case

[mustangjayyyme]

So just like the title reads...
If switching to horizontal nipples, be careful. I've read a lot of different things here, and as well as the instructions for the nipples.
I saw what I thought was at least 7 of my girls drinking from them.
So I thought okay...they're good. They all seemed fine, as I watch them regularly anyways.
Well today I just happened to go check on them. I almost didn't open their gate, but I ended up doing so.
I counted 8....there's 9. So I looked for her. Didn't see her anywhere on the ground with them. I see some feathers in the coop. I go look and she's laying on her side. I thought she was dead. Her feet moved. I grabbed her instantly. Fiance grabbed some water and she started drinking. She could barely stand up, but she drank. So we brought her inside. Put some of their electrolyte stuff in her water and she kept drinking here and there. She finally seems a lot better after a hour or so. She started eating too. I wet her food significantly to help her eat and get water. So she is inside now in a spare dog kennel we had. Will monitor her. I also did add their old waterer back to the run, in case anyone else was struggling with the nipples. I've seen them many times a day using them. And they already went through a whole 3 gallon jug. But obviously, nipples aren't for all chickens. So I just wanted to say, always provide them with something else. Thank you for all your inputs here as well. I did some searching when she didn't seem well, but we instantly figured it was water/dehydration anyways. Which I hope it was. I don't want to lose "Esme" btw she is a Silkie...if that matters.

 

[wamtazlady]

I am surprised by your post. Over the years between my flocks and neighbors' flocks I have introduced about 6 flocks to horizontal nipples. Have never had an issue at all. All the chickens were regular sized except a neighbor who has a Silkie rooster. I can only think that the small Silkie was not strong enough to operate the nipples. However, some people have introduced very young chicks to the nipples without a problem. I have never had an alternate water source when introducing horizontal nipples.

Am glad you were able to save Esme.

 

[springvalley123]

So just like the title reads...
If switching to horizontal nipples, be careful. I've read a lot of different things here, and as well as the instructions for the nipples.
I saw what I thought was at least 7 of my girls drinking from them.
So I thought okay...they're good. They all seemed fine, as I watch them regularly anyways.
Well today I just happened to go check on them. I almost didn't open their gate, but I ended up doing so.
I counted 8....there's 9. So I looked for her. Didn't see her anywhere on the ground with them. I see some feathers in the coop. I go look and she's laying on her side. I thought she was dead. Her feet moved. I grabbed her instantly. Fiance grabbed some water and she started drinking. She could barely stand up, but she drank. So we brought her inside. Put some of their electrolyte stuff in her water and she kept drinking here and there. She finally seems a lot better after a hour or so. She started eating too. I wet her food significantly to help her eat and get water. So she is inside now in a spare dog kennel we had. Will monitor her. I also did add their old waterer back to the run, in case anyone else was struggling with the nipples. I've seen them many times a day using them. And they already went through a whole 3 gallon jug. But obviously, nipples aren't for all chickens. So I just wanted to say, always provide them with something else. Thank you for all your inputs here as well. I did some searching when she didn't seem well, but we instantly figured it was water/dehydration anyways. Which I hope it was. I don't want to lose "Esme" btw she is a Silkie...if that matters.

I hope your Esme recovers. Thank goodness for your sixth sense. I tried the horizontal nipples on an all large-fowl flock, but one of the springs broke, so it dumped out all the water from the waterer. It was spring/summer, so I had a backup water source, fortunately.

 

[FloorCandy]

I am surprised by your post. Over the years between my flocks and neighbors' flocks I have introduced about 6 flocks to horizontal nipples. Have never had an issue at all. All the chickens were regular sized except a neighbor who has a Silkie rooster. I can only think that the small Silkie was not strong enough to operate the nipples. However, some people have introduced very young chicks to the nipples without a problem. I have never had an alternate water source when introducing horizontal nipples.

Am glad you were able to save Esme.

I use horizontal nipples with my quail, and I find after 3 weeks of age, all the Quail can do it. My only thought in this instance would be she somehow had no idea where to get water, or perhaps has vision issues and couldn’t see the others doing it. To get mine used to it, I push the nipples every hour or so the first day, so there’s a drop under the button, once they know where water comes from, I’ve never had a problem. I don’t know anything about chicken breeds, do silkies have vision obstruction from head feathers or anything like that?

 

[Mellowmalt]

Silkies to me look like they are half blind with practically a mop covering their eyes.

I have heard some silkie owner trim the mop a bit to help them see better. Maybe it was constantly looking down at the ground looking for the old waterer and the feathers were preventing it looking up. I'm sure once you physically introduce it to the nipple and it takes a drink from it it will know from then on where to get water in future.

 

[mamajos]

A couple of my horizontal nipples were frozen this morning--but since it is extremely cold (-17 F, this am) I knew to look for those kinds of things--The water inside my bucket is liquid from the immersed heater and I just had to thaw (with my hand) the metal portion of the nipple. I guess, as with anything, its good to check things over with your chickens daily to several times a day to see how everything is going. I'm hope your Esme recovers--good thing you were very observant!

 

[mustangjayyyme]

I am surprised by your post. Over the years between my flocks and neighbors' flocks I have introduced about 6 flocks to horizontal nipples. Have never had an issue at all. All the chickens were regular sized except a neighbor who has a Silkie rooster. I can only think that the small Silkie was not strong enough to operate the nipples. However, some people have introduced very young chicks to the nipples without a problem. I have never had an alternate water source when introducing horizontal nipples.

Am glad you were able to save Esme.

My chickens are 14/15 weeks. And I have 5 other silkies even a special one who actually had no issues, so it blew me away too. Just wanted people to know just in case! I know sometimes they'll be fine and figure it out, but I never thought! So glad I checked on them and was able to save her!

 

[mustangjayyyme]

Silkies to me look like they are half blind with practically a mop covering their eyes.

I have heard some silkie owner trim the mop a bit to help them see better. Maybe it was constantly looking down at the ground looking for the old waterer and the feathers were preventing it looking up. I'm sure once you physically introduce it to the nipple and it takes a drink from it it will know from then on where to get water in future.

We have trimmed all our silkies who had too many head feathers as I worried about them. So they can see well. We actually even trimmed her some more as she was getting it all wet now trying to practically dunk her head in there.

 

[mustangjayyyme]

A couple of my horizontal nipples were frozen this morning--but since it is extremely cold (-17 F, this am) I knew to look for those kinds of things--The water inside my bucket is liquid from the immersed heater and I just had to thaw (with my hand) the metal portion of the nipple. I guess, as with anything, its good to check things over with your chickens daily to several times a day to see how everything is going. I'm hope your Esme recovers--good thing you were very observant!

Thank you! Fortunately we are in SE Texas so we don't run into any freezing! Our winter got kinda cold, but nothing crazy!

 

[mamajos]

LOL! We have Crazy!