horizontal poultry nipples... do they leak?

[forester7]

I have heard good things about mounting these on the sides of plastic buckets, but do they leak? Are they really a lot better then the vertical nipples mounted on the bottom of buckets?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Zoomie]

Well, I have a water bucket set up with one of those, and personally I have not experienced so much as one drop of water coming out without the chickens activating the nipple. I've been using it for about 8 months. Since it's now very cold, I have the plastic bucket sitting on top of one of these: http://www.strombergschickens.com/product/universal-electric-fount-heater/fount-heaters and so far, so good. I installed the heater about two weeks ago, and if it was leaking, I for SURE would have seen water on top of the heater platform. No sign of it though.

It was pretty easy for my chickens to figure out how to use it, too. I've been very happy with it.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I got horizontal water nipples in a plastic container, LOVE it! Got package of 5 on Amazon (forget cost) put two on a small container for chicks & two on a bigger container for the "adults". So far no leaking. I put the chicks on them when they're about 2wks old, one batch took to it fast the second took awhile longer.

Forgot to mention what I learned, I drilled a hole close to the rim (top) with the lid on securely there's a vacuum & water won't come out. I left the lid loose but then they'd jump on top & secure the lid but not more dirty water

 

[texsuze]

Not meaning to hijack the thread, but I'm contemplating changing to horizontal nipples as well. However, my "Big Girls"--6 year old BA's---take big, long drinks, esp. in summer. I believe that when their wattles get wet in their traditional waterer (plastic jug/red tray beneath), it helps cool them in our VERY hot summers. For that reason, I'm reluctant to make the switch over, although I feel a horizontal nipple waterer would have many benefits in my situation.

Having said that, when we get rain or dew drops on the pipe fence at the barn, my girls love to "drink" the drops that hang underneath. Maybe the vertical nipples would deliver more water.

Anyone care to comment on water volume between vert and horizontal nipples?

 

[ChickNanny13]

Not meaning to hijack the thread, but I'm contemplating changing to horizontal nipples as well. However, my "Big Girls"--6 year old BA's---take big, long drinks, esp. in summer. I believe that when their wattles get wet in their traditional waterer (plastic jug/red tray beneath), it helps cool them in our VERY hot summers. For that reason, I'm reluctant to make the switch over, although I feel a horizontal nipple waterer would have many benefits in my situation.

Having said that, when we get rain or dew drops on the pipe fence at the barn, my girls love to "drink" the drops that hang underneath. Maybe the vertical nipples would deliver more water.

Anyone care to comment on water volume between vert and horizontal nipples?

Don't know your location (wish everyone noted that) but living here it gets warm & wet, my girls love grabbing at the drops off the wire, think it's "fun". I feel they get all the water they need with the HN, I tried it with my finger and as long as I "held" it, the water flowed. When I first tried it, held the lever down but the way it works is, they peck under the lever (up) & the water flows into that little cup. They'll get their wattles wet, just love that it don't leak (read the VN did) & not more nasty water.

Just remember the lid has to be on loose or drill a hole at the rim, need to break that vacuum. Panicked when I found the nipples weren't giving water, then figured it out, they sat on the lid & a vacuum caused that. Drilled the hole & now they can sit all they want. I do check the nipples when I change out the water. I also go one step more, mark on the container my starting water level, gives me a visual check daily.

 

[azygous]

A word of caution to all nipple users - both horizontal and vertical. Wattles and feet can get wet during drinking, and in summer, as our Hawaiian friend pointed out, it's welcome. But in temperatures below freezing, wet tissue can freeze, causing frostbite and permanent damage.

I use nipple waterers, and when the temperatures dive into the low teens or below during the day, I block off the nipples and provide conventional waterers with the narrow watering tray under a plastic jar. This pretty much spares wattles from getting drenched and feet stay dry.

When the cold front passes and the temps get back into the "warm" low 30s during the day, I let the troops go back to the nipples again.

 

[texsuze]

ChickNanny, I'm in central TX with temps in the 50's right now. I manage primarily for warm weather scenarios. Good advice about the vacuum lock and water pressure on the nipple waterer buckets. I'm now researching the horizontal waterers with the little red cups underneath, since they would more approximate my current jug + red tray watering system.

Azygous, does your flock need to "re-learn" the nipple system after they go back to using the conventional waterers, or do they just flip-flop back and forth without a problem? Like learning to ride a bicycle.....

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

After trying all kinds of waterers that resulted in dismaying water incidents (floods!) in my brooder, I have to laud the design of the horizontal nipples - no leaks. In cold weather where the water might freeze overnight (like now, where I am), I take the nipple waterers into a heated space so the metal parts don't freeze and put them back out the next morning.

My Muscovies use the nipple waterers, too, but there are also wading pools when the weather permits and pails of water out year-round.