Dripping Poultry Nipples, the bane of my existence.

[dianaross77]

I purchased threaded poultry nipples on ebay designed for gravity watering systems. The drip constantly even when installed properly. They're not leaking, they are dripping from the hole where the water is supposed to come out. Is this really as good as it gets? Should they be dripping like that? I assumed water would only be coming out when they were being used but it doesn't seem to stop. It may seem silly to complain about a drip (1-2 drops/second) but when you have 3 nipples in use, that makes quite a mess. HELP?

 

[dianaross77]

Quote:
That's a good idea. But mine are brand new, so I don't think that is they're problem.

Hopefully it will help someone else with drippy nipples, though.

 

[Presidential]

http://www.avianaquamiser.com/chickennipple/
This is what I have. LOVE THEM!! I installed one in a water bottle for my brooder and another in the bottom of a plastic iced tea pitcher to hang in my coop. They do NOT leak, even when water is low or if they do not hang straight. No calk or tape required.

When I saw the less expensive nipples in the store, I felt lke I paid too much for these... But, the more I hear from folks with drips... The better I feel about my purchase.

 

[pawtraitart]

That was the trick! They have to be gravity fed for the ball bearing to seat properly against the outflow rod. Vertical is the only way they seem to function the way they're designed. Sucky part is that I'll have to hang everything over the brooder for the time being. I think I'm going to install a PVC system like that guy did in the video I posted above. I'm going to use 4" stepped down to 2" so that it provides a larger reservoir though. I like that I'll be able to wrap it in heat tape that is on a thermostatic plug in case the pipes decide to freeze during the cold winters we have.

If you don't want to have to hang your drinker, use nipples that are designed to be put on the side. You can get horizontal nipples from Susan at allboutchickens.com

 

[jmagill]

They should not drip.

Do you have pictures of them installed?

 

[blefky]

I have lots of waterer nipples around the coops and yard. The only times I've had problems with leaking is with the ones that are a couple years old, or with those that I didn't take the time to put a silicone (or waterproof glue) seal around the base of the waterer when I installed it.

 

[dianaross77]

I don't have any pics of them installed. I took them off used silicone and teflon tape but they are dripping around the metal pin. We took them off and installed them on a plastic chick feeder jar and the same thing happened. If you dry it off and pull the pin down straight it drips really slowly but once you peck at them they just keep dripping. I guess they're just poor quality. One cracked in half while I was screwing it in to the pvc. That should've been my first clue. I ordered 3 different kinds from QC. Now I wait.

 

[ChickenAl]

The should not drip, and ours don't. I had purchased them from Amazon.

I would order new nipples and make sure they are from a supplier that has some reviews of their product you can read.

 

[southerndesert]

How big are you containers? They should have enough water to keep pressure on the nipples, but mine in 2 gallon buckets do not leak either.

 

[Jerseycoop]

I was afraid if I did it myself I wouldn't get it quite right so someone on here suggested Amazon. They had one already assembled with 4nipples in a 2 1/2 gallon bucket for $16.99 so far no leaking. Maybe the threading tape isn't wrapped around enough?