Waterers

[nuthatched]

This is basically my set up, with a 1gal capacity for my 2 older ladies right now and it is consistently dirty. I have decided I am not a fan of this style and I don't like not being able to fill it from the top.

There are fill form the top wateres, just hang them chicken chest high.

 

[rosemarythyme]

How did your chickens take to the nipple vs cup waterer? Mine have always had an open bottom. So I don't know if they'd take well to a nipple

I've never used cup style waterers. I had vertical before, but as freezing is an issue here it didn't work as well as horizontal (due to amount of the nipple mechanism being external on vertical vs horizontal). Most of my birds took to the horizontal nipples with little issue, the one exception was a crossbeaked bird but she still got by by drinking the drips the others left, until she learned to compensate for her crooked beak and could hit the nipple herself.

With new chicks, I don't even teach them. They see the adults pecking the nipples and train themselves to use it:

 

[AntiqueB]

I looked at the one pictured on Amazon. I like the style, being able to fill it from the top. That's definitely what I've been looking for but how many chickens do you have may I ask? We will have 6 total, so would that particular one be enough for 6?

I had between 4 and 5 chickens, and I filled it with about a gallon of water every 3 days or so. I'm now in the process of integrating for a total of 7, and have no worries that it is big enough. That said, I do also have a second one on the off chance one springs a leak or some other catastrophe occurs. The girls do prefer the tall one to the stout one.

 

[Grannys Backyard Chicks]

This is basically my set up, with a 1gal capacity for my 2 older ladies right now and it is consistently dirty. I have decided I am not a fan of this style and I don't like not being able to fill it from the top.

I agree...not being able to fill it from the top is another issue...