Bought the wrong poultry nipples (vertical)

[Chickalah]

Good morning everyone
I bought the wrong nipples on eBay (vertical instead of horizontal and I'm trying to make them work)
I made the 2" tall chicken tractor that was on YouTube for temporary housing.
I am trying to make a 5 gallon water feeder and I am having horrible time getting the chicken nipples to install on the bottom of the bucket for my first problem. My second problem is how can I get the bucket high enough where they chicks (now a month old) can get under it and get access the nipples? I'm having some frustration this morning...... LOL, When I planned it all out it seemed like it would be so easy but the eBay seller doesn't give any details on how to mount the nipples. I was separating them and trying to put half inside the bucket and half of the nipple on the outside then I found a video where a man just screws in the whole thing with some plumbing tape. I cant get them to go in very easily with the tape.
Thanks in advance for any advice to make this easier.
Chickalah

 

[Beccazon]

Pics of the tractor? Is there a way to mount the waterer to the top or cut a hole and mount it "in" the top to raise it from the ground? Perhaps a platform at the height you want with an X shape for the bucket to sit in and nipples to be accessible?

 

[Chickalah]

This is the one i made and i already put the nipples around the bottom. I may have to start all over.

 

[Beccazon]

I don't see why you couldn't make an opening in the mesh on the top and a stand on the ground inside. Drop the bucket through the just-right-sized opening to rest in the stand (at maybe 10"?) for the chickens to access.

I do understand not wanting to mess with a nice new tractor! Maybe it is worth it to just order the nipples you first intended.

 

[Chickalah]

Yea i think I will go to tractor supply and get the horizontal ones. I can use these later down the road. Thanks again!

 

[cmom]

I have never tried the nipples for water. I do have auto waterers on my coops. I know people who love the nipples. I do use these waterers too sometimes. Easy Fill.

 

[Chickalah]

I do have waterers smaller than that but similar design that i got from the feed store. They keep filling it with all kinds of things and then they cant access the water. I have to check on them all day and pour out all the feed, dirt and whatever else they fill it up with so i wanted to try the 5 gallon buckets with the chicken nipples. I may have gotten it figured out. I have figured a way to sit it on some stacked up bricks for the right height and i wont have to go buy any new horizontal nipples hopefully. thanks for your response.

 

[cmom]

I have some pans I put under the waterers to raise them up or on a cement block. They don't mess the water up too much except for the dirt that come from their beaks when drinking. I squirt them out quite often.