deciding on waterer-heated, nipple, hanging...

[jmtcmkb]

I am ready to send my first chicks out into the coop soon. Living in cold climate and wondering what the best option is. Been reading so much here on BYC-

I would really love to try the nipple waterer (not hooked up to water supply) I have only 5 chickens. In freezing temps do you think it would work to make 2 waterers and simply switch them out each day? I dont need a huge 5 gallon pail, I am thinking more like a 1- 2 gallon size, any thoughts? I would keep inside coop for winter, then outside during spring /summer months.


Then I wonder if it would be easier to buy a heated water dish, but worry that 7 week old chicks would end up in the bowl and be in big trouble.

I thought I found the perfect solution and saw a 3 gallon heated hanging waterer, but then read all the reviews and they were really bad. However this waterer is sold at all major on line chicken supply web sites!

Any advice appreciated for 5 chickens, cold weather in an unheated coop.

 

[fiddlebanshee]

You can put the nipples easily in smaller containers. I have 2 nipples each in two half gallon jugs, hung by their handles from a chain. Works really well, a snap to refill and you could easily have a setup where you would swap them out regularly to keep them from freezing. The then 2 week old chicks had them figured out in like 15 seconds and never went back to their regular waterer.

 

[jmtcmkb]

Quote:
Ok thanks! Thats' what my instinct is telling me to do, cheap enough to buy the nipples and jugs, not much to lose if they dont work. At this point I am already cleaning out the waterer several times a day due to chicks kicking stuff in. I have it elevated but they can kick it pretty high!

 

[fiddlebanshee]

At this point I am already cleaning out the waterer several times a day due to chicks kicking stuff in. I have it elevated but they can kick it pretty high!

That's why I changed mine to a nipple waterer. I leave for work at 4:30 am. Didn't want the additional chore of changing their water at that hour. I'd have to wake them up to get to the water, and on top of that I'm barely awake myself.​

 

[newchick13]

I just ordered nipples from Avian water mister and am going to be getting that all set up this weekend. I'll probably put them in a small bucket that I can put inside the coop. I will have a heater in the coop that will only turn on when the temp is below 35, and will automatically shut off when it is 45. I am thinking that the temp of the water will be "refrigerated" but not freezing or too warm. In the summer I'll probably put an additional waterer outside in the run. Right now I have a galvanized waterer which I hate because it is always filthy regardless of how often I clean it and one of those hanging heated waterers which gives me the same problem as the galvanized one....yuck.

 

[wyododge]

See my page. Just one of many, many options.

 

[galanie]

I started using nipples with the last batch of chicks I had and I'm sold! OMG no more changing that nasty water or worrying about them drowning in it. And they catch on really fast, faster than the grown ones do. They do tend to dribble it and make a wet mess under the nipple but I'll take that over the mess from a regular waterer any day.

 

[jmtcmkb]

I just ordered some of the nipples and hubby says he has both drill bit sizes. Now off to get a couple of pitchers, I am hoping plastic will be okay in freezing temps if I switch them out enough. Let's see it's 11 am and I have already changed water 2x today due to crap in it

Cant wait to try something new. I know I probably dont need to change it as much..it's just me.

 

[mons02035]

The nipples are a great system, I use them myself. I would be cautious of just changing the water frequently because here in the really cold areas the nipples will freeze very easily. The water in the nipple itself will freeze just enough so that the chickens will not be able to push them in to get water even though the water in the bucket itself is not frozen. If you have access to electricity, I highly recommend buying a low wattage fully submersable shatter proof fish tank heater. It works fantastic. If no electricity than all you really can do is change out the water fequently but I would use a bowl or something with a larger surface area.

 

[jmtcmkb]

Quote:
ok seems I cant find an easy solution... we can run an extension cord and had planned to-- can you post a link to what kind of fish tank heater you are speaking of? I havent a clue.
Thanks