Best nipple waterer?

Jul 3, 2020
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I currently have 5 hens and they are a rowdy bunch! They are constantly knocking over their water and getting tons of wood shavings in it to the point where sometimes I refill their water 4 times a day. I want to try a nipple waterer because we are gone a lot in the summer and we have a neighbor look after them. I don’t want the neighbor to have to fill up their water multiple times a day! Does anybody have recommendations for a good nipple waterer?
 
I currently have 5 hens and they are a rowdy bunch! They are constantly knocking over their water and getting tons of wood shavings in it to the point where sometimes I refill their water 4 times a day. I want to try a nipple waterer because we are gone a lot in the summer and we have a neighbor look after them. I don’t want the neighbor to have to fill up their water multiple times a day! Does anybody have recommendations for a good nipple waterer?
Make one:
horizontal nipple waterer.jpg

You'll need a bucket, a pack of horizontal nipples and a 11/32" drill bit on a driver.
The lid is placed LOOSELY on the top of the bucket to prevent a vacuum.
 
If you don't want to make one, the one I use is this: https://www.backyardchickens.com/reviews/premier-1-heated-poultry-waterer.11903/ - it's not cheap and not perfect but I like the fact that the walls are very thick plastic (noticeably thicker than most buckets) and fully opaque, which helps prevent algae growth.

If you get freezing temperatures in the winter, it comes with a heater in the base but the waterer can still be used year-round if you remove the heater cord during warmer weather.
 
I like the Rent a Coop brand but prefer the cup version. $11.95 on amazon for a 1L container which attaches to the outside of the run so that you don't have birds pooping on the container itself. The cup is very small but I like it because it prevents a bird from roosting on it. Having said that, I do prefer stainless steel buckets with hooks to hang off of the run. I have had a nipple waterer fail for another small pet which died under someone else's care so I'm not a fan.
 
Make one:
View attachment 2656745
You'll need a bucket, a pack of horizontal nipples and a 11/32" drill bit on a driver.
The lid is placed LOOSELY on the top of the bucket to prevent a vacuum.
X2
Whatever you do DO NOT buy the super cheap horizontal nipples. There is a difference. I recommend the rentacoop ones, lovatic, or the best are the ones by heritage acres on Amazon
 
I have had great success with the Rent-A-Coop nipples, making waterers in various convenient sizes.

Two critical things:

1. Tighten the nipples in the containers with your hands not with the drill attachment so that you don't crack your container.

2. If your container has an airtight lid you must drill a small hole above the level of the water to break the vacuum so that the chickens can actually get the water out.

0412211442.jpg


0412211212a.jpg

(The X is the hole for the nipple. The dot is the anti-vacuum hole).
 
If you don't want to make one, the one I use is this: https://www.backyardchickens.com/reviews/premier-1-heated-poultry-waterer.11903/ - it's not cheap and not perfect but I like the fact that the walls are very thick plastic (noticeably thicker than most buckets) and fully opaque, which helps prevent algae growth.

If you get freezing temperatures in the winter, it comes with a heater in the base but the waterer can still be used year-round if you remove the heater cord during warmer weather.

Second these! They've been good to us for year round use. The water stays clean, they're a good size to carry to/from our water source, and you don't have to break ice in the winter.
 

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