do chickens prefer bowls of water to the nipple system?

[Wolfwoman]

Mine also preferred a bowl or regular waterer and when I was first trying to change them over they would actually WAIT until I let them into the run to get at the regular one. Now that all they have is nipples, it's not an issue, they get plenty and don't even know the difference anymore because they haven't seen a bowl of water in months.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Quote:
I would suppose that birds in the jungle would drink any water, whether it be from a watering hole or from dew droplets on leaves. It's not really a nipple, just think of it as a water droplet dispenser. A person could add leaves to make it more like normal habitat.

 

[Rozzie]

Quote:
I would suppose that birds in the jungle would drink any water, whether it be from a watering hole or from dew droplets on leaves. It's not really a nipple, just think of it as a water droplet dispenser. A person could add leaves to make it more like normal habitat.

You must have been peeking in my garage windows. My birds DO have fake plants in their pens...
I have yet to rig them so that they have water droplets on them, though.

We won't talk bout the Chinese lantern christmas tree lights in the large cages. I guess we could pretend those are the stars.

 

[maggiemooscluckers]

I would just say that if you have the time, are home most of the time and don't mind cleaning out dirty bowls then that's fine. I'm at work all day, out of town a lot and don't want to add poopy bowls to my to do list. It's nipples all the way! And my chicks still love me!

 

[SAAVE853]

Has any one put a nipple system on a PVC pipe connected to a hose so u don't have to have a reservoir?

I have a 5 gal waterer now and i am a lil disgusted by the smell that thing gets after just a day or so, even when i take it all apart and clean it with mild soap it will still start to smell after a day or 2.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Quote:
Yes, that is how they are normally run in commercial operations. You must have a pressure regulator though as they are only designed for less than 1 psi of pressure. These are the ones I use in my barn. The red item on the left of the system is an adjustable pressure regulator. The clear risers show water height (pressure).

 

[SAAVE853]

Thanks alot my friend i ordered the nipples now i need to find an affordable pressure regulator!

 

[fl_deb]

I had a hose to a five gallon bucket with toilet tank innards as reservoir for my nipple system in the coop until the hook holding the bucket broke.

I now have coop and run with nipple system using a five gallon water jug and stoneware water dispenser as reservoir.

Nipple systems have to have low pressure as far as I know, so it can't be directly connected to a hose.

 

[MakNugget]

I use both because I introduced a chukar some time ago to my girls and it didn't appear to know what to do with a nipple.

I have a nipple and a small waterer in the coop, and a nipple in the run. The chickens use both now, but in the past they had no problem what so ever with my 5 gal nipple set up and drink quite a lot. The amount has decrease with the addition of the waterer but they still use both. I know because I can spy on them remotely.

I'm tempted to go back to nipples only after observing (indirectly -- heard the nipple being used behind me when all chickens are in front) the chukar using the nipple outside. It sure would cut down on my frequent water changes.

My concern with a pressured nipple system would be with freezing... It's probably ok, but I would not want to come home after work to find that it's been leaking something fierce all day. I plan to introduce an internal waterer to replace my current nipple during the winter to reduce freezing the water line.

 

[SAAVE853]

Down here in good old warm Florida freezing is the last of my problems lol!