How hard is it to train chickens to use a nipple waterer?

They look weird there.
Can't hardly see them in your pic, it blurs out when I zoom in.
They look exactly like the ones from the pic from TSC. They are the horizontal nipples. I prefer the vertical ones like in these pics.
 

Attachments

  • chick 1.jpg
    chick 1.jpg
    588.5 KB · Views: 6
  • chick2.jpg
    chick2.jpg
    603.6 KB · Views: 7
We had a waterer with nipples several years ago, but the nipples always seemed to leak, even after we replaced the nipples. Do those of you who use this type have a problem with leaking? After several years of this, we switched to a different type.
Depends on the nipples you use. Mine do not leak
 
They are the horizontal nipples. I prefer the vertical ones like in these pics.
I found the VN's to be leaky, they are easier for chicks tho...
.....and they don't work with heater in our frigid winters.

We had a waterer with nipples several years ago, but the nipples always seemed to leak, even after we replaced the nipples. Do those of you who use this type have a problem with leaking? After several years of this, we switched to a different type.
Which type of nipples are you talking about...
..Horizontal(mounted in side of vessel) or Vertical(mounted in bottom of vessel)?
Installation can be touchy and create leaks.
 
I use the 3 gal buckets that are in all bakeries and paint stores. My bakery gives them away. I have 3 of them for the girls and I put the little cups at the bottom on the sides and each bucket sits one on a concrete block to raise them off the ground. I have 10 chickens. I wash them each week and fill to the top, plop the lid on and am good for another week. On days like today I refill with tap water so they can have a cool drink.
I didn't want to hang the buckets with the nipples on the bottom as they are too heavy for me to lift and I've nothing to hang them on I went with the little cups from Rent a Coop. They were easy to put on. The draw back is, even though the buckets are surrounded by grass, they cups still get dirty.
I have read of a guy who used the cups on a 50 gal barrel. Sounds like a 2 person job to get the cups attached.
 
Did you start them on the nipple waterer early on?

I will second this post. Super easy to train. My first flock transitioned when they were about a year old, my new additions from last year were on standard water dishes until they integrated at 6 weeks. Then they used the nipples.

Either tap it with your finger and they’ll see, or pick a couple up, hold their head, and peck their beaks against the nipple a few times until they lick/swallow. They get it, do it, and the other chickens see and copy.
 
I will second this post. Super easy to train. My first flock transitioned when they were about a year old, my new additions from last year were on standard water dishes until they integrated at 6 weeks. Then they used the nipples.

Either tap it with your finger and they’ll see, or pick a couple up, hold their head, and peck their beaks against the nipple a few times until they lick/swallow. They get it, do it, and the other chickens see and copy.
Just curious: is there a particular reason you started the chicks at 6 weeks as opposed to immediately?
 
Training chickens to drink from a nipple waterer is easy as pie. Put waterer in with chickens. Remove other water sources. Leave them alone. The chickens are attracted to the color red as well as the shiny metal. Chickens are very curious. At first one will get brave enough to peck the nipple and run away. When nothing happens that can hurt the chicken more pecks happen. In a short time the chicken realizes water comes out when nipple is pecked. The other chickens see the first one getting water. Since there is no other water to drink they all start to peck.

Between my own chickens and waterers I have given to neighbors for their chickens I have had probably 6 separate flocks learn to use nipple waterers. None have not learned. They have all learned in a matter of a couple hours. Once I locked new pullets that had been drinking from a dog dish in my coop one evening. When I checked on them at 7 am they were already using the nipples.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom