Anybody use the Chinese eBay Nipple Drinkers?

[Intheswamp]

I'm planning on having some low-pressure nipple drinkers available for my (as yet to be seen) chickens. There is a big difference in pricing between the Chinese nipple drinkers on eBay and the nipple drinkers from Farmtek. I can get 10 red screw-in nipple drinkers shipped to me for $31.70 (avg cost $3.17) from Farmtek whereas I can get 20 yellow Chinese nipple drinkers shipped to me for $34.99 (avg cost $1.75) off of eBay. That's around 45% off for the eBay drinkers. There's some photos and links to the different drinkers below.

Has anybody used these Chinese imports? Do they work ok? I'm wondering about the anti-corrosiveness (ACV) of these and also the durability of the plastic threads.

If it wasn't for the high shipping charge that Farmtek charges ($11.20 in my instance for 10 drinkers) I wouldn't be asking this question, but if I can get twice as many drinkers for the same money...

Thanks for your feedback!
Ed

Chinese Nipple Drinker on eBay

Farmtek Screw In Nipple Drinker

 

[NorthernOntario]

I hope someone here can chime in on this, because I just started looking at these and am wondering the same thing!

 

[Neil Grassbaugh]

Let me know how many birds you need to have watered in one enclosure, what type and age they are. Also the type of habitation- a room, a movable lawn pen, whatever.
I know a little bit about nipple waters. I have sold a few million of them. Also have 20,000 or so in use on the farm right now.

 

[AHappychick]

oh I have a question I got a few already set up on the square pipe and my plan was to connect it to a large used 5 gallon jug I got that the chinese food place throws out. (I have a bunch of them and they just need to be cleaned out really well. Anyway I wanted to put the jug ontop of each one of my small pens and use gravity with some tubing to send it into the square pipe with the niples which I figures I could strap to wooden blocks attatched to the ceiling of the pens.

In doing so would it work, and would I be able to put ACV in the water or any other vitamins or meds needed?

Also how do you keep them from freezing up if you use them in outdoor coops? I would love to have them everywhere and get rid of all of my waterers if I could. they are so much cleaner!

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
Evening Neil. Thanks for the reply.

We're talking a backyard flock here...anywhere from 1/2 dozen to 2-3 dozen birds.

Interested mostly in large fowl dual-purpose with a focus on layers. Birds will be from "out of brooder" age to adults.

First coop will possibly be only a 4x8 and final coop at the max probably 12x16...probably end up around 8x12.

Located in south Alabama so focus will be on lots of fresh air as heat and humidity seem to be more an issue here than cold weather (though our recent extended freeze has me wondering...).

Naturally I would like to plumb some nipples into the coops(s) but also have some in the run itself.

Thanks for your time,
Ed

 

[Egg_newton]

Try qcsupply.com. They are the exact same ones from Tek Supply and are way cheaper and less s&h. They also have a push in style. That's they kind I use for my chickens.

Edited to add:
I put the push in kind in the bottom of a one gallon plastic jug and hang them. You can check out some pics of them in the link in my sig line. I haven't figured out an inexpensive way to keep them from freezing. In the winter I just use heated dog bowls. I have those mounted to the side of the coop to try to keep them a little cleaner.

 

[NorthernOntario]

Quote:
We're currently planning on a half dozen layers+. I'm planning to build the coop with a gravity-feed water system... couple of nipples in the coop, plus a couple of nipples outside in the summertime. Planning on a solar water heater to keep everything warm in the winter, to minimize the amount of electricity required in the coop... so solar water heating to a storage tank (non-potable), and then use that heated water to keep the potable water + piping to the nipples thawed.

Coop will be insulated, and planning on south-facing windows for lots of solar-gain in the winter.

And Neil... since you've sold a few million of them... do you know any Canadian sources for these? I hate shipping from the US... UPS always nails duties/brokerage... I've had items end up costing twice as much due to brokerage fees.

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
The ACV had me curious, also. The metal parts of the drinkers are supposedly stainless steel so it seems the ACV shouldn't affect them. Anybody know for sure one way or the other???

I'm thinking it will be tough to keep them from freezing if out in the open. My thoughts were to simply put a cut-off valve at the reservoir and a regular faucet or whatever just past it on the distribution side. Another valve at the end of the distribution network (with the end being at the lowest point). Cut the water off at the reservoir, open the faucet, and then open the valve at the end of the network. This should fully drain the system....then put out some founts.

To carry it a further step, a faucet and cut-off valve could be installed on the pipe just before it enters the wall to exit the coop...closing the cut-off valve and opening the faucet and drain-valve at the end would allow the coop to keep water but the outside system to drain.

Living here in south Alabama I don't have to worry about this but probably for a few weeks out of the year. For places further north I'm not sure what to recommend. It does seem very problematical for an outside application without applying some type of heat-tape or something.

Ed

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
Thanks for the link, Egg_newton, great link! I'm curious now...they state that the 360-degree nipple is good for broilers but when you look at the "push-up"(non-360-degree) nipples they say that they're good for layers. It seems the 360-degree nipple would be better for both birds, not just the broilers. ?????

Ed

 

[AHappychick]

Quote:
We're currently planning on a half dozen layers+. I'm planning to build the coop with a gravity-feed water system... couple of nipples in the coop, plus a couple of nipples outside in the summertime. Planning on a solar water heater to keep everything warm in the winter, to minimize the amount of electricity required in the coop... so solar water heating to a storage tank (non-potable), and then use that heated water to keep the potable water + piping to the nipples thawed.

Coop will be insulated, and planning on south-facing windows for lots of solar-gain in the winter.

And Neil... since you've sold a few million of them... do you know any Canadian sources for these? I hate shipping from the US... UPS always nails duties/brokerage... I've had items end up costing twice as much due to brokerage fees.

Oh I would love to see that set-up!