Does anyone use chicken nipples?

[sweeterdeeter42]

(Giggle.) Does anyone use chicken nipples to water their flock? Do they really catch on and use them? How much work is it to train them to use the nipples?

 

[BellevueOmlet]

It takes very little effort to get them to drink form nipples, they see the shiney metal and run over to peck it. I like the chicken water cups better so that they have a pool of water to drink from and don't have the puddle sunder them but if you use nipples - you don't need ot worry about them figuring it out, they will drink.

 

[bburn]

Do a search on here.....lots of stuff will come up on the nipple waterers.

We use then in one coop...the first coop....is nice because you don't have to fill the water as often.

But in the warmer time of the year I think I like the pans and the waters with the red bases because I do have to change it daily and it is fresher for the chickens.

 

[blefky]

I use them and love them. I have put them in 2 quart pitchers (for the chicks) as well as 5 gallon buckets, and if they're installed properly they don't leak at all. For the chicks, I start with the traditional waterer and at one week add the nipple waterer. I leave both in for a couple of days to make sure they've all gotten the idea, but really that's more for my peace of mind - they catch on really quick.

 

[bravo331]

I have 6 hens and 1 rooster they figured it out in less than 5 minutes!

 

[Arielle]

I recently switched to nipple for the 8 week old group of 25. THey drink a LOT of water. And get the basin full of shavings etc. They did run right over and tried it; for my peace of mind I left the usual ones in place. Today I removed the old style and added one one nipple waterer.

I like using the milk jugs: made to hold a liquid gallon and handle to attach to. I hang it the height of their backs using baling twine over the rafters down to the milk jug.

ALSO use cider vinegar to decrease growth of microbes in the water; it's worked well for me--no slime. (one tablespoon per gallon) I don't refill nearly as often as I used to. I'm considering buying more. I bought from avian aqua miser; these can be set horizontal or vertical. THere are others to consider as well.

GL

 

[sweeterdeeter42]

Quote:
Good thinking! Going to have to get some!

 

[debid]

So, the Tblsp per gallon of vinegar won't hurt the nipples? I know you aren't supposed to use vinegar in galvanized waterers so I wasn't planning to use it with the nipples but it would certainly be nice to avoid the summertime slime.

 

[Neil Grassbaugh]

Quote:
Looked at as a percentage the number of chickens in the US NOT drinking from a nipple is so far to the right of the decimal point you need a magnifying glass to see it.