chickens not drinking from nipples

[DickMidnight]

Usually 2-3 days and your good to go.

ok cool. tomorrow i’m gonna pull the second bucket and smear some pb on the nipples

i’ll spend some time in the coop trying to get one of them to peck until water comes out.

 

[RoosterML]

ok cool. tomorrow i’m gonna pull the second bucket and smear some pb on the nipples

i’ll spend some time in the coop trying to get one of them to peck until water comes out.

I would try without the PB first. Your biggest problem is keeping the original water source in.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I don't use treats or bribery. I take away any other water source, wait an hour or two so they get thirsty, then pick up each chicken (if you have a lot, a few of the more dominant birds will do) and use their beaks to toggle the nipple. Let them drink a couple drops, do it again, then switch to another bird.

You can also use your finger to peck at the nipples if the birds are all standing around watching, some will pick it up that way.

I don't permanently keep the alternate water source out until I see all the chickens in training drinking from the nipple, but to encourage them to use the nipple waterer I'd only bring it for a short period after several hours/at end of day.

 

[B-Goock]

Just watch them closely because some flock members may not be as bright as others and catch on as well. If some aren't getting it pen the smart ones in the coop & put pb on for the "less curious" birds. Haha. That's That's nice way of putting it.
Old habits are hard to break. With a regular waterer in they will continue using it alot of the time.

 

[3KillerBs]

they’ve been really curious about the nipples, pecking around them and everything, but i checked the water level today and it hasn’t moved.

Question, does your waterer have a little hole under the rim to break the vacuum? It took me a couple days to realize that I'd made that mistake with the first waterer I'd made.

is it safe to pull supplemental water altogether?

You can put the other waterer in for an hour in the evening until you're certain that they are drinking from the nipples.

 

[Sally PB]

but to encourage them to use the nipple waterer I'd only bring it for a short period after several hours/at end of day

You can put the other waterer in for an hour in the evening until you're certain that they are drinking from the nipples.

Last year, I took out the regular open waterer when I saw that my 3 pullets had figured out the horizontal nipple. My cockerel didn't figure it out. I saw him trying to bite the whole red plastic nipple, and figured he was on his way to getting it right.

Later the second day, he seemed lethargic and I though he looked skinnier...?!? It dawned on me he was dehydrated!

I put out the other waterer, and he went right to it and tanked up.

If I ever try to teach them him HN again, I will put the open waterer out for an hour before dusk to make sure everyone gets water before roosting.

 

[DickMidnight]

Question, does your waterer have a little hole under the rim to break the vacuum? It took me a couple days to realize that I'd made that mistake with the first waterer I'd made.

i drilled vacuum holes under the lid just to be safe, but the plastic plug that the deicer cord runs through doesn’t seal perfectly around the wire, so i’m sure that would’ve been enough to break the vacuum as well.

 

[3KillerBs]

i drilled vacuum holes under the lid just to be safe, but the plastic plug that the deicer cord runs through doesn’t seal perfectly around the wire, so i’m sure that would’ve been enough to break the vacuum as well.

Just checking because it's easily overlooked.

 

[DickMidnight]

Later the second day, he seemed lethargic and I though he looked skinnier...?!? It dawned on me he was dehydrated!

I put out the other waterer, and he went right to it and tanked up.

this is my fear.

i was able to get 3 or 4 out of my 12 to realize the nipples dispense water today. i actually held them, let them watch the water leak out when i pressed the metal center, and the holding their heads, used their beak to push the metal piece in.

i’m gonna go back out tomorrow and try again and make sure i get a few different birds.

tomorrow around 4pm i’ll put the bucket in their run for any stragglers.

 

[Chookwagn]

Take away the supplemental water .... stop giving them the easy option