Horizontal Nipple Waterers... in your opinion, yes or no?

[Lemon-Drop]

I currently have those plain old chicken waterers, you know, these: (not my photo, and not the exact ones, but basically the same)

I share a flock with my sister (@Starburst) and I have been really wanting to switch to this style, especially as we have rats (trying to get rid of them!) and I’ve seen them drink from the fountain waterers, which is NOT sanitary.

Another reason is that they basically splash the water up with their dirty feet and muddy it, and spill the water. I have to refill the two watered very often, which is a pain when one is 3 gallons and the hose is pretty far.

All in all, seems more sanitary, less work, however I do have some reservations. Well, more like Star has some reservations.

Here are her reservations:

Would stress them?

Unnatural?

How would you retrain them?

Chickens should be able to dip their combs in water. (I’m not sure about this one, but that’s what she says)



A few of my questions:

Where is the best place to purchase them?

How many can fit on a 2-3 gallon bucket (I don’t want to lift anything heavier than that)

How many for 16 chickens?

At what age can they start using them? (I have 3, 5 week olds, 7, 15 week olds, and the other 6 are full grown hens)

anyway, any help is appreciated!

 

[sdm111]

Put the waterers on cinder blocks or the like
Water will stay cleaner

 

[aart]

We tried this style and when we would put out water in a more easily accessible container, they would drink like they were thirsting to death. And yes, we had taught them how to use it and watched to make sure they were, etc. We use the cup style now.

Not unusual, doesn't mean they are not getting enough water via nipples.

I've had all age birds either pick it right up within an hour...and others that take weeks to really figure it out.

Here's my thoughts on 'nipple training'.

First, it's good to know how much water your flock consumes 'normally', I top off water every morning and have marks on the waterers so I know about how much they drink.

Found they drank just as much from the nipples as they did from the open waterer.

-Do not train to nipples during extreme temps when dehydration is more of a risk.

-Show them how with your finger(tho that might just train them to wait for your finger),
and/or manually grab them and push their head/beak onto the trigger(easier with chicks than adults).

-No other water source, best to 'train' during mild weather when dehydration is less of an immediate health risk. I do provide an open waterer late in day to make sure they don't go to roost dehydrated, especially young chicks.

It can take days or weeks to get them fully switched over, just takes observation, consistency, and patience.

 

[aart]

They are the bomb!
I use them in all sorts of containers, from the brooder to isolation crates to the main waterer that will take a heater in the winter.
They take some care, patience, and finesse to install successfully.
See my article page, several of them about HN's.

 

[3KillerBs]

P.S. Don't try to hang a horizontal nipple waterer. It works better if it can't swing when they trigger the nipples.

P.P.S. Make sure to put a small air hole in the waterer just under the rim to break the vaccuum or the water won't flow out when the nipple is pressed.

 

[blackdog043]

Here are her reservations:

Would stress them?

I'm not sure how it will stress them. I've never seen my chickens stressed using them.

Unnatural?

Yes, they're used to dipping their beak into something, but once they catch on, it's not a problem. I even had a rabbit using the chickens HN's.

How would you retrain them?

Take their other waterer away and put the nipple waterer in the same location. Tap the metal rod so they see water coming out. Once one gets to pecking at it, the others will start to follow, some slower than others. I've only retrained older birds a couple times, but it didn't take very long to get them to use the nipples. Maybe a couple hours.

Chickens should be able to dip their combs in water. (I’m not sure about this one, but that’s what she says)

I'm not sure why they would need to dip their comb in water. That's a new one on me.

A few of my questions:

Where is the best place to purchase them?

Amazon is the only place I know, to get them.

How many can fit on a 2-3 gallon bucket (I don’t want to lift anything heavier than that)

You could space them about every 4 - 5 inches on a small bucket. I space mine 8 inches apart, on a 14 gallon drum. You can use a 5 gallon bucket and refill the water using gallon containers. I rinse my waterers out 2 - 3 times a year, they don't get dirty inside.

How many for 16 chickens?

1 nipple for every 3 - 4 chickens is good. They don't stand around and drink from them all day, they get plenty of water from them. Some people think chickens don't get enough water from them. I've never lost a chicken to dehydration, even when I lived in NC. I've used HN's exclusively, for the last 4 years.

At what age can they start using them? (I have 3, 5 week olds, 7, 15 week olds, and the other 6 are full grown hens)

I start my chicks on HN's at 2 - 3 weeks. When I start chicks, I leave the chick water in the brooder for a week, with the nipple waterer. After a week most of them are using both waterers. I take the chick waterer out and check on them through the day, to make sure I see all of them using the nipples.

Below is my article, on making a heated Horizontal nipple waterer and some of the waterers I've made. If you make one, use an 11/32 drill bit to make the hole, for the nipple to screw into.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ock-tank-deicer-and-horizontal-nipples.74609/

Brooder waterer


The tray is to catch drips, as they use the nipples.
The nipples don't drip on their own. I did this so the bedding stayed dry.


14 Gallon

 

[rosemarythyme]

I don't see why people think these waterer are so great.

If done correctly, it's a no/low clean, low evaporation way to provide water.

 

[blackdog043]

I don't see why people think these waterer are so great. My rubber bowls work just as fine and I know the birds are drinking what they need and not just giving up

I use them because:
1. the water stays clean
2. I top them off once a week, not daily or multiple times a day
3. my chickens get plenty of water from them, they don't "just give up" and have never been dehydrated. I know how much they are drinking because the water doesn't evaporate, like an open bowl of water does.
4. I can go away for more than a week at a time and I know they will have water and food with the no waste feeders I use. I don't have to rely on someone to replenish feed and water.
5. I only have to rinse them out 2 - 3 times a year, the inside stay clean
6. when winter comes, I put the deicer inside and no frozen water

 

[aart]

Unless you have a tons of birds, just carry out a jug of water each morning to top off the waterer. Mine don't drink more than a gallon a day.

 

[Folara]

I just started using a nipple waterer and I have to share some praise! I really like this type of waterer and wanted to use one but I wasn't looking forward to training them how to use it. I found a used Rent-A-Coop waterer for cheap and, after a thorough cleaning, I decided to add it alongside my pullets' original waterer just to see how they would react to it.

I would have never guessed they would flock to this waterer like they've never seen water in their lives! After I pressed the nipples a couple of times to get droplets, the pullets saw red and went absolutely bonkers over the nipples. That new waterer contained the nectar of the gods, the most pristine glacial melt, liquid gold from the deepest artisanal spring. No training necessary for these girls!

For those who might also be hesitant to try this waterer, I recommend going for it! You might be as surprised as I was, and if it doesn't work out for you there will always be someone like me who happily buys the used stuff.