Are nipple waterers hard to keep clean?

[Susan-B]

My girls are moving into the coop soon and I need to get a waterer and feeder for out there. Was considering a nipple waterer but read a bit about them being hard to clean (well so is cleaning bedding out of water numerous times a day LOL) Thx

 

[orloffer]

I use a nipple waterer, specifically this type. In my experience the cover and the red nipple part do tend to collect some dust over time, but this is fairly easy to wipe off. I have never actually had to take the waterer apart and clean it. For me they are great because they do not spill and no bedding, dirt, or dust gets into the water.

 

[wamtazlady]

Nipple waterers are the easiest waterer to keep clean. They are a nearly sealed system so no dirt can get into them. As a result they don't need cleaning often. The new nipple waterer I put out in November is just now going to be cleaned for the first time. Water is still clean but algae is starting to grow with the warm weather. I'll clean it out and put some copper pennies in it to retard the growth of algae. I'll be looking around for a dark colored container that will not let light in and algae grow. At the moment my container is a clear tote with lid.

 

[3KillerBs]

I find my nipple waterers easy to clean.

I rinse them every time I refill them and scrub them with dish liquid and a brush when they seem to need it -- which is far less often than the gravity feed waterers did.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Nipple waterers can be the easiest to clean, if you plan in advance to minimize need for cleaning. I have never done more than rinse out my nipple waterers (with plain water), in 5 years. I use fully opaque waterers that are kept in the shade to nullify algae growth.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I LOVE my nipple drinkers. I use the mini Hen Hydrator. I haven't converted all of my flocks to this but I'll be so happy whenever I do. I add 1/8 teaspoon of Oxine AH every other time to keep green algae at bay. They do drip, which is my only complaint. It's worse if it's slightly frozen so I'd worry about frostbite on toes if I lived in a really cold environment, but I'm in NC. My chickens took to it quickly too

Edited to add that the Hen Hydrators are opaque blue so that helps with algae growth

 

[3KillerBs]

They do drip, which is my only complaint. It's worse if it's slightly frozen so I'd worry about frostbite on toes if I lived in a really cold environment, but I'm in NC.

My horizontal nipples never drip. I hear that vertical nipples are easier for young chicks to learn to use though.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

My horizontal nipples never drip. I hear that vertical nipples are easier for young chicks to learn to use though.

I purchased some horizontal nipples to install on a bucket. This is one more reason to get busy and get that done. I did start these as older chicks.

 

[3KillerBs]

I purchased some horizontal nipples to install on a bucket. This is one more reason to get busy and get that done. I did start these as older chicks.

Tighten them onto the bucket by hand. Don't use the drill attachment because if you overtighten them you can crack the bucket.

 

[Mellowmalt]

the first time using my horizontal nipple waterers my chicks did somehow manage to get chick crumbs into the tank but has stayed clean since so by far the easiest to clean. Only needs a quick rinse out.

The only problem I had was my bantam birds could not properly start using them till they were 6 weeks old.

I still feel like they don't like using them, the principle seems to simple, push the lever and fill your beak but they keep pecking it and pecking it and get a drop at a time.

It might not drip and they do get enough water and for the sake of convenience I will stick with horizontal nipple waterers but the birds don't like using them much.

I persoanlly think they are great, my birds would say less so