Can chickens use rabbit/rodent waterer?

[imacowgirl2]

Can chickens successfully use rabbit and/or small rodent waterers? It would be so much easier when I have chickens in a cage for whatever reason, if I could use a waterer that hangs on the outside of the cage. Would be super nice for when they are caged in the garage due to cold weather …we wouldn’t have the wattle loss we suffered last time around due to Roos dipping waddles in the cage water cups.

 

[CKfarm22]

Yes but make sure it’s the kind with a loose ball bearing and not the one with a spring loaded ball

 

[imacowgirl2]

Yes but make sure it’s the kind with a loose ball bearing and not the one with a spring loaded ball

How would I tell the difference? I assume the spring loaded one would be much more difficult to push in if I try pushing them in with my finger in the store?

 

[CKfarm22]

How would I tell the difference? I assume the spring loaded one would be much more difficult to push in if I try pushing them in with my finger in the store?

Correct. You would feel some sort of resistance against you finger.

You could also use regular nipple waterers for chickens and drill a hole into the bottom side of a plastic water bottle, i’ve seen that too.