5 minute cheap and easy nipple waterer

[flowerfaeiry]

I made these simple waterers in 5 minutes. If I can make it, anyone can!



1. Empty soda bottle- I used 2 liter and 3 liter bottles.
2. Drill - Since Hubby is reluctant to let me use his, I purchased a cheap $30 drill at Walmart. It works great and I use it for many projects!
3. Drill bit - The nipples require an 11/32 drill bit. I easily purchased one on Ebay for about $2.
4. Poultry Nipples - Again, easily purchased on Ebay. You can buy one to one hundred!
5. Small piece of chain or twine. This can usually be found around the house.
6. Zip tie
7. pipe thread wrap, not necessary, but I wanted to be sure it won't leak.

First, drill hole in center of bottom of soda bottle. Put pipe thread wrap around the nipple threads and screw it in. Yes, it was that easy!


Put chain or loop of twine on zip tie and zip it around the neck of the bottle.


I fill it up and put the lid on so no spilling on the way to the coop. Hang it from a cup hook and remember to take the lid off the bottle!
That's it! I keep an extra bottle in the freezer and swap it out each day. As the ice melts, it keeps the ladies cool on these hot summer days. This was so easy, that I made one for the coop, one for the run, one for the yard and a few extra to keep in the freezer!

 

[charlie14]

Those look great! We used v8 splash bottles and put the nipple in the bottle cap. We just poked a tiny hole in the bottom of the bottle for airflow. Nipples are a pretty sweet invention.

 

[Arielle]

 

[DimondaleBergs]

I made these simple waterers in 5 minutes. If I can make it, anyone can!



1. Empty soda bottle- I used 2 liter and 3 liter bottles.
2. Drill - Since Hubby is reluctant to let me use his, I purchased a cheap $30 drill at Walmart. It works great and I use it for many projects!
3. Drill bit - The nipples require an 11/32 drill bit. I easily purchased one on Ebay for about $2.
4. Poultry Nipples - Again, easily purchased on Ebay. You can buy one to one hundred!
5. Small piece of chain or twine. This can usually be found around the house.
6. Zip tie
7. pipe thread wrap, not necessary, but I wanted to be sure it won't leak.

First, drill hole in center of bottom of soda bottle. Put pipe thread wrap around the nipple threads and screw it in. Yes, it was that easy!


Put chain or loop of twine on zip tie and zip it around the neck of the bottle.


I fill it up and put the lid on so no spilling on the way to the coop. Hang it from a cup hook and remember to take the lid off the bottle!
That's it! I keep an extra bottle in the freezer and swap it out each day. As the ice melts, it keeps the ladies cool on these hot summer days. This was so easy, that I made one for the coop, one for the run, one for the yard and a few extra to keep in the freezer!

I'm pulling my two-liter bottles out of the recycle bin as soon as I post this! Then I'm heading to ebay for the nipples! Thanks so much for posting this!

 

[charlie14]

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[charlie14]

 

[jesirose]

I would love to make this, I'm so annoyed with the two waterers we use now - how do you teach the chickens to use it? Would my 1+ year old chickens learn? Or only the baby chicks?

 

[charlie14]

it is so easy to teach them -you just hold grapes up to the nipples and they figure it out. Once one gets it they all imitate it. Our rooster was 22 weeks old when we started and he picked it up right away. You have to take away the old water at the same time as you start these. It is also really great for our cross beak. Just make sure to hang it high enough to they have to reach or tilt their heads up.

 

[flowerfaeiry]

My first attempt was with the nipple in the cap...it seemed the thing to do. But I couldn't figure out an easy way to hang it. Also, I want to be able to keep one in the freezer without it spilling out, or getting from the sink to the coop without spilling it.
We have a lot of gallon milk jugs that I try to reuse, but still can't come up with a good waterer system yet. I just don't think the bottom of a milk jug is sturdy enough to hold the nipples, although I didn't try it.
We're in the process of building a separate coop for the silkies, so a few 20 oz. water bottles should work in the "Mini Coop".

I had no trouble teaching either the large fowl or the silkies how to use the nipples. It's hot out and they will go to it quickly. Actually, when they were all in the brooder (old guinea pig cage), in addition to the standard quart size waterer, they used the guinea pig bottle/traditional rabbit bottle. Funny, it makes the same clicking sound, I think that helped them transition to the soda bottle nipples. Those standard waterers are so messy! My silkies used it to wash their feet in it! It was always full of litter! I had to clean it 2-3 times a day! and not to mention the smell of wet litter, yuck!!! Now we have a dry coop all the time, lot less work! The little bit that drips when they drink dries up quickly, so no wet mess. I still click the nipple every time I go to the coop, it's reassuring to know it works, and that leaves behind a little wet spot but no big deal. I would never go back to a standard waterer.

 

[Arielle]

Plan ahead which day to make the changes. Pick a cool day rathr than a heat stress day. I put out several kids of waterers and they pick and choose what to use. Eventually I can leave just the one nipple waterer. I usually put a cake pan under in case of dripping if in the house for chicks.