Cups vs Nipples??

[Maggie13]

I use a bottom nipple waterer in the run for 9 months out of the year I can move the tractor without worrying about spilling water.

And in the winter I use a dish style waterer IN the coop with a DIY light bulb heater to keep the water from freezing.

 

[Juju2773]

Just wondering what do people use and prefer? Cups vs nipples? Less mess, cleaner, fresher water, ease of use, problems? Thanks!

Hi, I tried the nipple button things and only two out of my flock would use them. The rest never got the fact that they have to peck the metal piece for water to come out. They’d ravenously try to drink the little drops that dropped off onto the ground when one or two drank. I was concerned they’d thirst to death so I bought these little red cups from -rent a coop. The ones that just refill themselves as needed. No need to peck anything for water. There’s others with a yellow thing in the middle they need to peck for water. I don’t think they’d use those.i am very happy with mine. They are easy. Every other day I just twist them to the side to dump them and turn them back in place. some get food in them that falls out of their beaks when they drink . But they all use them. I’m happy.

 

[ChickenGirlKC]

I have both. The girls seem to use all of them. The cups do end up needing to b cleaned out once a week or so. I don’t notice leaking from either of them. The only thing I would mention to a beginner is that you need to allow for air to enter into the container somehow or the water will not come out. I used a bunch of gallon jugs with screw tops in the beginning because I can carry them easily and I thought being sealed up, the water will stay clean. I soon learned that unless the top was left off the water wouldn’t flow. Glad I realized early on and didn’t have any problems! Could have been bad, very bad.

 

[Vicker]

Nipples haven't worked out for me with mature birds. Babies do fine, but the bigger birds just don't seem to get a satisfying drink from them. Maybe it's just too dang hot here. I have wondered if cups would work better.

 

[Jewelj76]

Just wondering what do people use and prefer? Cups vs nipples? Less mess, cleaner, fresher water, ease of use, problems? Thanks!

We've used cups from the beginning and love them, but I can't speak about nipples. However, we usually switch to a heated bowl in winter, which actually works great also. They make the switch instantly!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I used a bunch of gallon jugs with screw tops in the beginning because I can carry them easily and I thought being sealed up, the water will stay clean. I soon learned that unless the top was left off the water wouldn’t flow. Glad I realized early on and didn’t have any problems! Could have been bad, very bad.

A small hole drilled at the top of the container works as well - helps keep the water clean but lets in enough air to prevent a vacuum from forming.

Nipples haven't worked out for me with mature birds. Babies do fine, but the bigger birds just don't seem to get a satisfying drink from them. Maybe it's just too dang hot here. I have wondered if cups would work better.

When it gets hot I do put out extra water. I wouldn't rely solely on a nipple system in that case.

 

[imnukensc]

Horizontal nipples work fine for me here in the middle of SC. It gets hot! I don't put out extra water, ice, or anything else. Haven't had a chicken die of thirst yet and have trained adult birds (2 year olds) as well as chicks to use them with no problems.

 

[edeveraux]

I use a heated dog bowl. No water in the coop, just in the run. Dump it out daily, wash weekly. I tried the nipples, they froze in our colorado winter.

 

[jROBERTg]

I use the cups and have never had a problem with dirt or freezing.I think they are great.

 

[perkolator]

I use cups too - just seems right providing a little puddle mimicking a natural water source the chickens would drink from. Haven’t noticed any real issues with them other than my chickens manage to rotate the head every now and then due to how I have mine oriented.

There is some debris that will accumulate but I wouldn’t really consider it a problem. I thought it was partially caused from my irrigation water since it’s got lots of dirt in it, but I suppose from their beaks is a source.

Maybe once a month I do cleaning/maintenance on my auto fill watering system. Cleaning the cups is as simple as a 5 second swishing of my finger around to clean it and let it overflow to rinse. Only once or twice have I seen a dry cup, it had a lot of dirt in it somehow - but they have multiple cups to choose from.