Easy transition from vertical to horizontal nipples

[KSH1]

So my helpful little flock of velociraptors knocked one of their waterers off the heat plate the other day, and then I couldn't get the vertical nipple to stop leaking. (I have 2 chick waterers from Permier 1 and both had been working perfectly until the assault.) I have a package of Rent-a-Coop horizontal nipples that I intended for when they're bigger, but it turns out that they also fit the hole in the chick waterers. So they can just go to the same familiar waterer (now hanging securely) and peck at this funny new red toy - they figured it out right away. They're 3 weeks old, and I'd guess the bantams are about the size of day-old large fowl, and I definitely saw at least one of them successfully drinking from it along with lots of the standard size chicks. The second waterer is also hanging now but has its original vertical nipple because I'm more interested right now in ensuring that everyone can stay hydrated easily than in finalizing this transition. Just in case this accidental lesson can be of use to anyone else!

 

[Noy]

I'm just wondering what people do with all the dripping from the vertical nipples!

I switched back to a regular watere after a few days because the shavings under the bottle were just soaked.

Once they're outside in the run I'll put it back up...

 

[KSH1]

Mine didn't drip until they threw it to the ground.

 

[ultimatejimmy]

I've had two batches of chicks catch on to the horizontal nipples on the day they came in the mail. We left a dish of water out for them for a few days to make sure they were getting water, but it was super annoying because they kept kicking the pine shavings into..even when we raised it up a bit. Glad we don't have to deal with that anymore.