We built a chicken nipple watering container this weekend and it's taken three days, but this morning my most curious little hen finally figured it out. When I got home from work they had consumed roughly a quarter of a gallon of water between the five of them (they're all bantams). I don't know if they've all figured it out yet, but no one looked sluggish so I'm assuming so. I just had to share here. It's the first modification we've made since they came to live with us that has actually worked the way we intended. Now to get them out of the nesting boxes and onto the roosting bar... ----- 2 girls, 1 dog, 2 cats, 12ish goldfish, and 5 (4 hens and 1 roo) silver penciled barred rock bantams
Congrats on your success! I too am trying to plan and deploy a nipple-watering system to cut down on the carting of water. I'm planning on an in-line system with a tank. Later ideas (once the first hurtles are past) are to try to do some rainwater collection, and possibly to do an informally "plumbed" system (using a garden hose) during the summer months.
HappyhensNY - I am actually using a half gallon pitcher for my watering system. This is my first experience with chickens and I wanted a low-cost option for the nipple watering system just to see if it would work and if these adult chickens I bought could figure it out. ralleia - I'd love to see pictures if/when you get that working. I don't plan on keeping enough chickens to warrant that large a system.
