Hanging Heated Waterer

[Huskerlovr]

My husband built me a new chicken house after a coon/coons got into my old one and killed all but six of my chickens. I bought a hanging heated waterer to put in there thinking it would be so nice to have off the floor so dirt and debris didn't get into the water but I cannot get the chickens to figure out how to use it. Anyone have any tips to help me get them trained?

 

[Mvan42]

Pictures will help. Try taking one of them and putting their beak into the water.

 

[Acre4Me]

Can you post pics of the waterer? I have a double walled galvanized waterer that sits on a heater (designed for use with that waterer). We place it up on several concrete blocks we bought at the home improvement store. The waterer stays clean bc it is around back height of the birds.

 

[Huskerlovr]

This is the waterer I use

 

[Acre4Me]

So, this is their first experience with nipple waterers? If so, it will take some training. Although they should naturally peck at the nipple to get water, they may not have pecked hard enough or realized water comes out. If you are able, try to get a few calm birds to peck at it hard enough, or push it so water comes out and they drink. I have heard it is an easier transition if they were introduced to this style from chick stage, so it may take a little time. Also, the movement of the hanging waterer may freak them out bc a peck ma move it/make it swing, which may also be a learning curve for them.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you are able, try to get a few calm birds to peck at it hard enough, or push it so water comes out and they drink. Also, the movement of the hanging waterer may freak them out bc a peck ma move it/make it swing

x2! In the meantime, do make sure they have access to some water that they're willing/able to drink. Most chickens can pick up on nipples pretty easily once they get the hang of it, some might have a harder time with it though. I had to work for a couple of weeks on one of mine for her to finally figure it out (I picked her up daily and pressed the toggle with her beak, let her drink a little... repeated that daily until she realized she had to hit the toggle in the center, not just bash against the red plastic).

 

[misterwaterfallin]

I put peanut butter on the nipples so they will peck at them even if they don’t know what’s inside. I’ve only ever done one round and they’ve all figured it out.

 

[jreardon1918]

I recommend that you carefully monitor the water level. I only have 4 hens at this point. So it seems the water level never goes down. When I mark it, It is easy to see that they are indeed drinking. We also only have that water source, So they drink that or nothing. They have been using only this water bucket since they were 7 weeks old. I should mention that the waterer sits on a cinder block. The water stays clean. The bucket gets dirty. But they are chickens and they scratch in the dirt all day.