Hanging Nipple Waterer

[PotatoHead]

My flock is not really using the hanging nipple waterer that I recently integrated into the run. They know how to use as I’ve watched them many times, but the prefer to use the plastic common poultry drinker.

I really wanted to use the hanging nipple system as it is much larger (4 gallon) and will stay cleaner. I guess I could use the nipple water as the only source and I’m sure they would start using it.

Anybody with similar experiences?

 

[Latestarter]

You can have perfectly clean water, even in their preferred conveyance, and they will drink from a mud puddle... It's just what they do. Even a nasty puddle contaminated with run debris and their own poop. Some surmise it's to get minerals that are not available in our nice clean water... Who knows...

If you want them to use the 4 gallon nipple system, then make that all they have to choose from and they'll use it. Easier for you, cleaner for them. better all the way around.

 

[FettuccineAlfredo]

Thats what we did. They love it now. All I did was tap on the nipples a couple of times and take out their other waterer and have never had a problem.

 

[PotatoHead]

I was thinking about using a fish tank heater to heat the water during winter. Any ideas?

 

[rosemarythyme]

I was thinking about using a fish tank heater to heat the water during winter. Any ideas?

Vertical or horizontal nipples? An aquarium heater can keep the water inside the body of the unit liquid (not sure how low temperature they can handle, for me, it gets just below freezing and the heater works), but if the nipples are vertical they'll freeze. Horizontal has a better chance of staying liquid I believe.

 

[wamtazlady]

i use a 10 gallon semi clear tote with lid, horizontal nipples, and a stock tank deicer rated to be used in plastic. Only have to fill up once a week for 12 birds and has stayed thawed to -22 F. It's a breeze to do winter water now.

The advantage of a stock tank deicer over an aquarium heater is that the stock tank deicer only comes on when the temperature is below 35 degrees. It will also turn off once the temperature gets to 40 or 45 degrees.