Halfway Positive

[3KillerBs]

Since I'm home and it's quite cool today (North Carolina in July, cool -- only in the low 80's by noon), I took the chick waterer and chick feeder out of the coop this morning to try to convince the chicks to drink from the nipple waterer and use the no-waste feeder.

They seem to have learned to use the waterer -- the level was down significantly. I haven't seen them drinking from it though so I put the chick waterer back after lunch. I hit on an idea a few days ago of wedging a dried mealworm under each nipple, figuring that when the chicks grabbed the mealworm they'd discover that it was wet there.

I don't see any evidence, however, of them using the no-waste feeder. They dug a big hole in the bedding where they've been dumping their little feeder so I guess that's how they got their breakfast.

(Edited to note that the chicks are 4 and 6 weeks, not babies).

 

[AltonaAcres]

IF you are sure the nipple waterer isn't dripping or leaking and the level is going down, I would think they are using it. Could you put a piece of paper or something under the nipples to check for drips? Maybe try taking away the water fountain they are used to and replacing it 6+ hours later to see if they're super thirsty.

 

[3KillerBs]

IF you are sure the nipple waterer isn't dripping or leaking and the level is going down, I would think they are using it. Could you put a piece of paper or something under the nipples to check for drips? Maybe try taking away the water fountain they are used to and replacing it 6+ hours later to see if they're super thirsty.

It's sitting on a block on purpose so I'd be able to see if it was leaking.

I took their littrle waterer away for about 4 hours this morning and they didn't attack the water when I put it back.

I have to be sure though -- mid-80's is a quite cool day for central NC in July. I didn't even try a couple hours like that while we were having heat advisories earlier this week.

 

[AltonaAcres]

Sounds fine then. You could mark the water level with a sharpie when you fill it and keep checking on it