Heated waterer question

[Driley62]

So I just ordered horizontal nipples to make a 5g heated waterer for the winter months(I have everything else that I need already). But my question to everyone is, how far apart should they be? I plan on making it so I can sit in a corner and hoped to put 5 nipples on it. They say one for every 4 to 5 birds so that's my idea behind it.

Thanks all

 

[3KillerBs]

So I just ordered horizontal nipples to make a 5g heated waterer for the winter months(I have everything else that I need already). But my question to everyone is, how far apart should they be? I plan on making it so I can sit in a corner and hoped to put 5 nipples on it. They say one for every 4 to 5 birds so that's my idea behind it.

Thanks all

I make waterers with the nipples about a handspan, maybe 5-6 inches, apart because that seems to be about the amount of space an adult hen takes up while drinking.

I put them all around and put the waterer in a place they can access it from all directions. In a corner where they can't get behind it I don't think you could get more than 2-3 hens drinking from it at a given time because they wouldn't physically fit.

I always have more than one feeder and waterer so that high and low status birds can eat/drink at the same time.

 

[aart]

I have a rectangular container with 2 of the 6 HN's 3" apart, works fine.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-heated-waterer-with-horizontal-nipples.67256/