A different way to water chickens-Avian Aqua Miser

[lindabean]

I have put a Lick-It dog watering bottle & stem in my "Juvie" pen, and they are using it as a supplement to the traditional waterer. It is the same concept as the nipples, just not as dependable to keep from dripping dry. The spout on mine was chomped by my last litter of puppies, which dented in the SS pipe and made the ball not seal well. But it works as a supplemental waterer, and easy to get to as I mount it outside the pen with the spring that came with it.
I bought the Avian Water Miser DIY kit, and REALLY wish I'd checked here first. I got 3 nipples (the screw in kind) and some heavy wire & directions for about $20. I Knew somebody had to have those available, and sure enough, $2 bucks vs about $6 bucks each, and more than one kind, and many ways to use them. I think I'm going to try the milk jug outfit first, as those are plentiful. I'll let you know how the screw-ins work on the mj.
By the way, is "ACV" apple cider vinegar?

 

[cjexotic]

Yes ACV is just that.
I use both the screw in and the push in ones. I just set up my OH's pheasant pens with 3 gallon buckets with the push in ones and they work great. Just put the lid on 3/4 tight.. so it can get air and they love it.
I put a brick under it so they have to step up to drink from it. Just means its higher off the ground so dust does not get in there from where the lid is cracked open. I just hated to put a whole in the lid when this works. This way at a quick glance I can see the water level. Use the AVG and no slime, no algae and good for them. Can't go wrong.
I found my nipples off ebay. Some place in China is selling them. Free shipping and 20 in a pack. They have a couple different styles.
For the thicker buckets the screw in works a bit better.
I have replaced the milk jugs as the birds hit them so hard that they caused them to leak. The turkeys and RIR chickens did that. So just replaced with the bucket.

 

[Carolyn252]

Quote:
The best kind of apple cider vinegar to use is organic, with the "mother." The "mother" is the cloudy stuff at the bottom of the bottle. That's the good stuff that has the most advantageous properties for your chickens. You can get it at any health food store. It's great for boosting YOUR immune system too. Just mix a bit in any beverage; juice, iced tea, etc. The benefits of people drinking ACV are listed at many websites.
It's an ancient home remedy for keeping fit.

 

[Carolyn252]

Quote:
I've only had my two poin-of-lay pullets for the past four days. They're already taking food from my hand, and come to me whenever I step into their run.

I'm patiently trying to teach them to use the nipple waterer, but no luck so far. I've got the nipple installed at the bottom of a plastic gallon jug. And the jug is hanging outside in their run. It's in a nice shady spot, hanging off the corner of their coop's roof. The nipple is just about at the height of the chickens' heads.

I sit next to it for a half hour every morning and again every afternoon, tapping, tapping, tapping the nipple with one finger while HennyPenny and ChickenLittle stare intently at the drops falling to the ground. They'll come and peck at the wet spot on the ground, but haven't yet tried to touch the nipple. I've been doing this for four days now. I remove their water bowl for the half hour teaching session. Do you think I should "force" the issue and remove their water bowl for a few hours and just leave them alone to (hopefully) peck the nipple?
Too risky? I don't want them to get dehydrated, of course.

Any advice or tricks to get them to use the nippled jug? Anybody?

 

[isabrownmom]

Carolyn,

I didn't even give my pullets a different water system 'cause I was afraid they'd go the easy route and skip the nipple system. It took a few hours for them to get it and I was worried they would get really thirsty but the nipples always had a drop of water on the end and they found it. The nipples have to be just above head level so they can reach up to get the water. Try taking their other water away for half a day and just watch them closely. I stood outside the coop window and watched to see if they would catch on. I need to get a bar stool as I spend way too much time watching them through the window!

 

[Carolyn252]

Quote:
I know what you mean about the watching-the-chickens addiction. I took my little plastic garden bench out of my veggie garden and now keep it just outside the ChickArena. Whenever I go there, I bring it inside the run with me, planning to sit for just five or ten minutes. Ha ! An hour or two later, I finally tear myself away and go back into the house.

I'll try your suggestion and will remove the water bowl for a few hours and watch to see if they try the nippled jug. I think I'll tape a big red fresh strawberry to the bottom of the jug, right next to the nipple. Maybe that will attract them.

 

[isabrownmom]

Great idea about the strawberry!! I need to get me a stool. Right now in the evening we watch chicken T.V. from our deck with a glass of wine or some popcorn. I just took the girls some yogurt with dried mealworms sprinkled on top for their evening snack. They are chowing down. Is there such a thing as giving chickens too much by the way of snacks?

 

[kathyinmo]

Is there such a thing as giving chickens too much by the way of snacks?

Yes. The commercial chicken feed contains the needed vitamins and nutrients and should be 90 - 95% of their intake. Snacks and treats should not be more than 5 - 10% of all that they eat, preferably less than 5%, to maintain optimum health.​

 

[dtimms]

Quote:
I haven't set mine up yet, but I saw a post about this what I thought was a good suggestion to get them using it. The very smart person who posted said to pour water over the top of the jug, which will attract the chickens to the jug. As the water comes down, some of it will drip off the nipple and they will peck at it and get the idea to use the jug.

Let me know if this works for you!!!! I may be in the same boat in a day or two when I try to introduce this to my girls!

 

[Carolyn252]

Quote:
I haven't set mine up yet, but I saw a post about this what I thought was a good suggestion to get them using it. The very smart person who posted said to pour water over the top of the jug, which will attract the chickens to the jug. As the water comes down, some of it will drip off the nipple and they will peck at it and get the idea to use the jug.

Let me know if this works for you!!!! I may be in the same boat in a day or two when I try to introduce this to my girls!

Already tried that, but no luck. I saw that same post, so I tried it. Over and over again. The girls stare and stare at the water as it drips to the ground, then they start pecking at the wet spot on the ground.

When HennyPenny finally looked like she might have figured it out, she came and pecked my fingertip instead of the nipple. My finger was right next to the nipple because I'd been tap, tap, tapping the nipple.

Today, I'm going to find a small sized plastic bottle and install a nipple in its bottom. And then I'm going to fill it with diluted apple juice, so the water will be sweet. A small bottle will be WAY easier for me to hold for the teaching sessions.

Will keep you all posted.
Off to find a small empty plastic juice bottle...