Frozen Nipples!

[aart]

Wouldn't they have the same problem with freezing right where the water comes out? What makes it a different situation? Maybe the drop of water left over doesn't hang around long enough to freeze or something?

Thanks!

Mostly I think it's because the 'valve' on the HN's is inside the vessel where it stays warm so much less likely to freeze....
...tho they can retain a drop of water on the 'lip' and that can freeze the spring and/or pin.

But vertical nipples are more likely to freeze as the valve is outside the vessel(bucket, jug, pipe, whatever).

The ball that drops down to shut off water flow is a about a half inch down from the vessel, and the small 'tube' with the upper pin in it gets locked up with frozen water.

 

[split poplar]

Mostly I think it's because the 'valve' on the HN's is inside the vessel where it stays warm so much less likely to freeze....
...tho they can retain a drop of water on the 'lip' and that can freeze the spring and/or pin.
The ball that drops down to shut off water flow is a about a half inch down from the vessel, and the small 'tube' with the upper pin in it gets locked up with frozen water.

This is good stuff! Thanks for explaining, I really appreciate it!

 

[88sub4x4]

[Quote/]
The ball that drops down to shut off water flow is a about a half inch down from the vessel, and the small 'tube' with the upper pin in it gets locked up with frozen water.
[/quote]
This is what happened when I had vertical nipples. I switched to horizontal and haven't had a problem even with Temps in the low teens the past few nights.

 

[split poplar]

Looks like I'm moving over to horizontal nipples. You guys (and gals) have a preferred source to get them from?

Thanks again!

 

[88sub4x4]

I did a search on ebay for horizontal poultry nipples. There's only one guy selling them. They came within 3 days when I ordered them a few months ago.

 

[aart]

Looks like I'm moving over to horizontal nipples. You guys (and gals) have a preferred source to get them from?

Thanks again!

This it the best price I've found....haven't shopped them in awhile tho.
http://allboutchickens.com/#!/Horizontal-Poultry-Nipples/p/35469347/category=0

 

[yyz0yyz0]

I'm on my 4th winter with my heated waterer with vertical nipples and no frozen nipples even with below Zero temps.

I think part of the reason is because the nipples are partially encased in foam insulation which helps keep the body of the nipple from getting exposed to the cold.

You can get an idea here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/747034/freeze-proof-nipple-waterer

If you are using pipe with nipples on the bottom I would think you could do something similar by using some foil bubble insulation or flexible foam insulation and the next size up in pipe.
What I would do is get some pipe the next size up from my water pipe and use a saw to cut if half lengthwise. You now have a two piece pipe that is slightly larger than your water pipe. Drill holes into one section of the half pipe to match the locations of your nipples then wrap the water pipe with the flexible insulation. You could either wrap the whole pipe or just at each nipple. Then take the split pipe and clamshell it around your water pipe and hold it inplace with wire/twist ties/cable ties/etc.

The the extra insulation will help keep the nipples from being so exposed to the cold, may even raise the temp of the water in the pipe which may also transmit more heat to the nipples. The outer split pipe keeps the chickens from being able to peck at the insulation as well as providing another layer of weather protection.

 

[chickiema]

I had the same problem here in SD and my husband bought a 125 watt white heat bulb and used a clip on heat lamp and put it over the top of the pvc pipe where the nipple are. The heat from the light is just the right temp that the heat tape and the pvc pipe doesn't get too hot but the nipples stay unthawed. Last week when we had below zero temps one day was 30 below and everything worked like a charm! A solution that cost us less than $10

 

[birds4kids]

I have horizontal nipples in the side of buckets with stock tank heaters sofar so good down to -12f with the waterers in well ventilated coops.