do chickens prefer bowls of water to the nipple system?

[Gallo del Cielo]

I started with my chicks out on vacuum waterers and once they were out of the brooder and in the coop they were switched to nipple waterers. But my chickens didn't seem to be drinking as much and I worried about them and put them back on vacuum waterers until after the heat of that first summer passed. Then in the fall I switched back to nipple waterers only--I have two five gallon buckets with three nipples in each (one bucket in the run and one in the yard) and I also have my automated nipple system inside the coop. Again, I was very worried that they weren't getting enough water since they didn't seem to spend as much time at the nipples as they did the other waterers. Also, whenever I'd water a tree the darn birds acted like they hadn't had water in days.

So, I decided to figure out just how much they were drinking. I switched back to vacuum waterers for 5 days, putting one where each of the 5 gallon nipple waterers was located and emptying and turning off the automated system in the coop. I measured and recorded the exact amount of water consumed every day. I then switched over to the two 5 gallon nipple waterers again and measured the amount consumed every day for five days. I was surprised at the results. My six birds drank 2.75 cups of water per day from the nipple waterers and 2.5 cups per day from the vacuum waterers. Interestingly, the amount consumed was consistent over days. I really wanted a reason not to use the nipples—because of what I thought I was observing--and ended up convincing myself that they are, overall, better for me and for my chickens. It is ever so much easier for me to maintain a reliable, constant clean source of water with the nipples compared to the vacuum types. One of the best aspects of switching to nipples is that my chickens no longer have to share their water with the wild birds. Now, having said all that, the cup waterers look very interesting! If I didn't have the wild bird problems, I'd look into them.

 

[AnnainMD]

I have nipple waterers and LOVE them. Considering my flock survived over a month and half of temps >100+ heat index over this past summer, I'd say the nipples are very successful.
Added a deicer for the winter and it's worked like a charm even to 0 degrees, I check it every morning when I give them their scrap treats. However, I don't know how the nipples would do in below zero weather with -30 windchill.

 

[chicnchic]

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I was convinced that the nipple waterers are the cat's meow (I growl ever time I call them nipples though! LOL I prefer "drip on demand"

) I used these through a very hot, humid summer and have continued (with the de-icer) through sub zero temps (down to -30) with nary a hitch! Though I am always open to other ideas, and continuously look, I will have to be convinced that there is a better alternative. I'll keep one 5 gallon pail in the yard and one in the coop from late Spring to Fall, and just the one in the coop during the winter, and though this is my first experience with chickens, it seems to be working well. I am interested however in how the cups are better.....it would be hard in winter to keep them thawed, but it might be worthwhile for summer...?
I knew I wanted to use the "Drip on Demand"

System, so I started my chicks on small rabbit waterers which worked beautifully, and when I put them in the hen house equipped with the pail it took them less than 60 seconds to find it...once one was pecking at the lil red dripper

they all had to!

I used the same method to change my new Silkies over as well...and it only took 24 hours to have them fully drinking out of the bottom of the buckets

I LOVE that I have no poopy waterers to clean up!

 

[AnnainMD]

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I was convinced that the nipple waterers are the cat's meow (I growl ever time I call them nipples though! LOL I prefer "drip on demand"

) I used these through a very hot, humid summer and have continued (with the de-icer) through sub zero temps (down to -30) with nary a hitch! Though I am always open to other ideas, and continuously look, I will have to be convinced that there is a better alternative. I'll keep one 5 gallon pail in the yard and one in the coop from late Spring to Fall, and just the one in the coop during the winter, and though this is my first experience with chickens, it seems to be working well. I am interested however in how the cups are better.....it would be hard in winter to keep them thawed, but it might be worthwhile for summer...?
I knew I wanted to use the "Drip on Demand"

System, so I started my chicks on small rabbit waterers which worked beautifully, and when I put them in the hen house equipped with the pail it took them less than 60 seconds to find it...once one was pecking at the lil red dripper

they all had to!

I used the same method to change my new Silkies over as well...and it only took 24 hours to have them fully drinking out of the bottom of the buckets

I LOVE that I have no poopy waterers to clean up!

When I first realized I needed a deicer (poor girls) I planned to use a submergible one assuming (hoping?) that the warmth of the deicer at the bottom of the bucket would keep the nipples unfrozen. Lo and behold the darn thing worked. I couldn't believe my luck--even with wind chill!! But I'm very glad to know the nipples work even in your weather.

I would never go back to using anything that required them to dip their beaks in the water (like those little cups) because one dip and the water is dirty already and it would drive me bonkers. One time I carried in the pail of water I use to refill the bucket and had to set it down--BIG mistake. They all decided to drink out of it and the water was dirty in less than 3 seconds!! How would you wash out those little drinking cups anyway? I wonder if they detach at all.

 

[averytds]

Yes they are detachable. Mine are anyways. The cups don't just sit there full of water though. They are small with little triggers in them. A lot like the nipple waterers if you put a little cup on them. The birds can get a more continuous stream vs a drop or two at a time if they keep pressing vs pecking. I don't know, maybe I'm not describing it well. I don't have problems with them getting dirty though.


I use both nipples and cups...and rabbit waterers...and pop bottle founts....oh and every so often the open red kind, but rarely.

 

[AnnainMD]

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So do they tap it or is there a float that controls the amount of water in the cup? I checked out the McMurray site but they don't explain how it actually works.

 

[averytds]

There is a trigger in the cup that they tap or move it enough with their beaks to let water out. I can hold it down with my finger and fill the cup, which is what I do once or twice when they're first exposed to them. After that, they do it themselves, but only a tiny amount of water if any remains in the cup.

 

[Sparhawk]

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Sparhawk, I'm not sure how many birds you're watering, but I made one for my 12 hens, and their Roo

, out of a 5 gallon pail, and hang it from the roof of the hen house with a chain that has a clip on the end like what you find on a dog chain....I am in NH, so I have a tank de-icer in it for the winter and it works like a charm! I hang it just above head height of the smallest bird so they have to reach up a little but not too much. It worked so well that I made another one out of a 3 gallon pail when I bought some Silkies, and had them switched over in 24 hours!

I sure makes my life easier with MUCH less mess, and in summer I have one inside and one outside so they always have plenty of water

I have 24 layers and a Rooster. The pan I use holds about 2 gal, so it works pretty good. I have looked a round and the 5gal bucket waterer looks easy to put together. I will probably get one built this weekend. I am going to modify it so there is a fill hose coming out of the top that I can put through the fence. Therefore I don't have to go inside with the hose to fill it. When they start foraging wen the snow disappears, I'll make another and put if outside. I'm looking at a birdbath de-icer for my waterer, I might spring for it if this cold weather keeps up (I'm in RI)

I'm using the chain idea with my feeder. It holds about 3/4 of a 50 lb bag and I have it suspended in the middle of the coop...works great.

 

[KenK]

Our dogs, that I like to think are at least as smart as the average chicken, would seem to much prefer drinking out of a mudpuddle with a turd floating in it than they would out of their sterilized stainless steel bowls with pure water.

I think the average human child prefers candy bars to lima beans.

Draw from these epistles what you will.

 

[chicnchic]

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