Chicken waterer nipple ?

[zekii]

Does anyone know how many chickens can adequately drink from a single nipple waterer.
I've seen soda bottles, milk jugs used, with these 360 nipples attached, but I am trying to get an idea how many nipples I would need to supply enough water to a flock ?

 

[ikatiemay]

I have a 5 gallon bucket with 5 nipples around the edge, this waters 10 chickens just fine! I also have a submersable heater and a slot in the lid for the elect cord. I put a tile on the bottom for my heater to sit on. The water stays clean and Im a happy girl! The one thing that REALLY bugged me was the dirty water everyday. We can even go out of town for a few days and I know they wont suffer.

 

[nelgkel]

I have 5 nipples for the pvc waterer for our 16 chickens and it works great!! I reallyneed to post pics of it!! I have it hooked up to a 55 gallon rain barrel..LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!

 

[Neil Grassbaugh]

Quote:
There is no good reason to have more than two nipples for the 1 to 15 birds and one more for each additional ten birds. Nipples are designed to water any chicken but broiler breeders hens in hot desert climates at the rate of 15 birds per nipple. Providing to many nipples causes underuse and problems arrising from that.

Except under some unusual circumstance a chicken will get enough water from an appropriate nipple drinker unless a) the head pressure is to low (like 1/2") or 2) the npple itself is to low for the bird to capture the water.

And yes, chickens prefer to drink water from a pool rather than a nipple. I also prefer to lay around the house all day drinking Scotch from a glass rather than going to work and drinking water from a bottle.

 

[chicken nipple]

I changed over to nipples about a year ago and can't say a bad thing about them. I use a 5 gallon bucket with three nipples on the bottom for 25 hens and a rooster. I place a plastic square tray below to keep the shavings dry. I do not see anyone posting about how to winterize this set up and have found what I find to be a very effective and low cost solution. I use a 75 watt aquarium heater that I bought for 10$ new, with a 2 year warrantee. Once the weather is cold enough I plug it in and it has a preset thermostat for 70 degrees. The water stayed warm all winter, no freezing of the nipples and the birds got the benefit of a relatively warm drink. Hope this helps. If you don't have power in your coop an insulated extension cord will do the trick.

 

[certifiedchef]

I have 4 hens, had 5 when I set up the watering system with one nipple per bird. Don't think they got the hang of it, because I am back to the 2 gallon waterer - good luck

 

[HunterWilson]

Quote:
Even for small flocks, I would recommend having a minimum of two nipples just in case 1 fails you have 1 as back up.

Currently I have 3 nipples and 4 hens, but from my observations 3 nipples is a lot more than 4 hens need. Never have I seen 3 drinking at once but rarely I have seen two try to drink... when that happens most often the two go for the same nipple

rather than get their own nipple.

I expect all would be fine with a ratio of 1 nipple per 4 hens but have not put it to the test.

 

[AnnainMD]

I have 3 nipples and 12 chickens. I'm using a submergible heater to keep the nipples from feezing.

 

[zekii]

I'm going to get some nipples, and make some milk jug waterers, and have it ready once I get my chicks.
I read at one of the web sites a ratio of 1 nipple to 5 birds is about right.

 

[LauraG]

I heard the milk jugs arent strong enough. eventually they will weaken. You are better off getting a pail - like a 1 or 2 gallon.

3 nipples were plenty for 7 chickens when I used them