Chicken nipples

[Niss]

I have brooded chicks in the basement, and hated the work and the smell of two dozen. I swore I would only ever use a broody mom.
My husband wants to dramatically increase flock size over the next 8 months as part of a holistic multi-species intensive grazing system (yes, chickens are a gateway drug--we now have 6 head of cattle--2 dairy heifers and 4 for eating, a goat, 8 pigs, and a duck). We are getting ready to order 60-100 pullets and have been looking for a better way to set things up. I think the mess and smell could be reduced by using chicken nipples, but I don't know how young chicks could be trained to them.
Has anyone used nipple waterers for peeps?
Thanks!

 

[aart]

Iv'e read of lots of folks using nipple waterers for chicks....don't think that really going to help the smell tho.
Good Luck!

 

[hosspak]

I have brooded chicks in the basement, and hated the work and the smell of two dozen. I swore I would only ever use a broody mom.
My husband wants to dramatically increase flock size over the next 8 months as part of a holistic multi-species intensive grazing system (yes, chickens are a gateway drug--we now have 6 head of cattle--2 dairy heifers and 4 for eating, a goat, 8 pigs, and a duck). We are getting ready to order 60-100 pullets and have been looking for a better way to set things up. I think the mess and smell could be reduced by using chicken nipples, but I don't know how young chicks could be trained to them.
Has anyone used nipple waterers for peeps?
Thanks!

The chicks will learn pretty quick. They will even learn to use a trigger feed system in a day or 2... Less mess, less work...

 

[debid]

Oh yes, they work great for chicks! No more gross waterer full of shavings and poop for me.

You don't train them at all. Just position the container so the nipple is just above their little heads and one will see the shiny thing and peck at it. Then, the rest will copy the behavior and a water party will begin. Once that happens, I take the open source out. No chick has failed to learn here.

BTW, the best way to get the smell out of your house is to not bring chicks into the house in the first place! A secure outbuilding makes a fine brooder!

 

[chad-o]

A good part of the smell is a combination of POOP, Wet Bedding. So the nipples do help but as DEBID said. The sure cure is not to keep them in the house.

 

[Niss]

Thanks!
I know the waist will still smell, but cleaning the shavings and poo out of the waterer and the spillage are the most irritating parts for me. In part because I feel like I need to clean the fountain multiple times daily to keep it healthy.
Because we are just getting serious about the homesteading thing, we don't currently have the infrastructure to put them outside--one building is full of hay and the chicken coop houses our 3 bottle calves. A (almost) proper barn is in the works, but I doubt will be fully enclosed and have electricity soon enough.

 

[hosspak]

Thanks!
I know the waist will still smell, but cleaning the shavings and poo out of the waterer and the spillage are the most irritating parts for me. In part because I feel like I need to clean the fountain multiple times daily to keep it healthy.
Because we are just getting serious about the homesteading thing, we don't currently have the infrastructure to put them outside--one building is full of hay and the chicken coop houses our 3 bottle calves. A (almost) proper barn is in the works, but I doubt will be fully enclosed and have electricity soon enough.

Here's how I did it. If it helps...






There will always be drops of water as the birds drink, if you place a rain gutter beneath the nipples to catch the drops the bedding should remain mostly dry...

 

[debid]

Prefab shed? Useful for storage later... Or, maybe move the calves into an inexpensive hoop house? Honestly, I can't imagine how much dust there will be from 60-100 chicks but I think it will be overwhelming.