chicken waterers

[shahtir101]

I'm trying to come up with a new watering system for my chicken coop. The plastic ones from the feed store are not working anymore for me. What are your opinions on the nipple waterers? Are they hard for the chickens to learn how to use? Are there any other options? Show me your guys waterers and let me know about the nipple one. Thanks

 

[cavemanrich]

THE NIPPLE ONES WILL WORK FINE. Of course like with anything, they may fail and all water leaks out onto your coop floor. What is the problem that you are having now.??? Spilling?,, soiling of water?? I give my girls fresh bowl of water every morning. I use a heavy type so it does not tip over.. I try to utilize the most practical method. Have only 6 chickens so one bowl of water is sufficient. I also place containers of water in other areas of the yard when they free range.
WISHING YOU BEST AND

 

[shahtir101]

Right now I'm having problems with spilling,cracking, and the plastic waterers becoming gross in general. Do you now how long it takes them to figure out how to use the nipple waters? I have 6 chickens with about 6-12 more on the way, so a bowl of water won't exactly work anymore. Thanks for your help!

 

[cavemanrich]

The red water nipples are suppose to attract the chicken attention. I would construct a waterer from a 5 gallon bucket for starters.. Make sure nipples are vertically on bottom, of pail.. Place a bowl of water under to train them.. Once they learn . its down hill all the way. New arrivals will learn from the veterans.

 

[shahtir101]

Will do. Thank you so much for all the help!

 

[shahtir101]

What about feeders? Can you guys post pics of yours so I can get an idea? Thanks

 

[LaurelC]

I have read that the nipples are not "great" for the chickens, but the nipple/cup style ones work a little better. They're cheap enough that I bought a few to see how they work.

 

[lynnehd]

Mine have done well with the nipple waterers from 1 day old. I'm using them with an automatic waterer now.

I did try the cups with levers; mine never figured them out, even after I put yogurt on the tips.

I also use the horizontal nipple waterers, and my chickens figured these out well, too. One of our members sells these.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-Horizontal-Side-Mount-Poultry-Chicken-Watering-Nipples-/161294591700

 

[Wise Woman]

I know what you mean about those plastic waterers. What a pain they are and they are always dirty. I have 13 chickens and they are in with my two miniature goats and we noticed that they drink out of the goat buckets more than anything. We had 2 of the plastic waterers and two of the nipple waterers and yet they were drinking out of the buckets. So I got a rubbermaid dish pan for them and just fill that up each morning. They love it. Now that it is summer I put out one pan in the morning and add a second one with ice and frozen fruit or veggies in the heat of the afternoon and they really love that. The goats still have their two buckets as well and so they all drink out of every container.

Come winter, I will need to find some sort of bowl that can be put on my warmer to keep the water from freezing or else I will be taking a kettle of boiling water out to them each morning. But anything is better than dealing with those plastic feed store waterers.

 

[Cluckadoodledo]

I just finished retrofitting my chick/pullet pen with a chicken nipple watering system and a feed hopper that fits in the nesting box with the partition removed. The nesting box area is 24" wide and 12" deep. I used a five gallon bucket and installed a "bung hole" at the bottom side for the watering system. I vented the lid on the bucket and covered the vent hole with screen. The coop was purchased on line. The two month old chicks began using the chicken nipples immediately. No instruction was needed. Here's some pictures of it.