How to get chickens to use water nipples and cups?

Hduenner09

In the Brooder
Feb 9, 2021
12
10
26
I just got a big bucket with 2 nipples (the red with the silver button) and 2 cups (with the yellow switch in it) and I keep pressing it in front of them and they still don’t get it or they go to the floor where the water is dropping out from. I feel like other chickens on here seem to have figured it out but mine aren’t getting it and it’s been 4 days and I’m worried they aren’t getting enough water now.
 
Remove any other water sources while training them.

I pick mine up and use their beaks to toggle the nipple. Press the beak against the nipple (or switch), let them drink a few drops, repeat and then let them go and keep an eye on them to see if they start catching on.
Okay I will try that and see if it works!
 
I Have never used cups. From what I have read in these forums the cups seem to be rather more difficult for chickens to figure out how to use.

I have used nipples for years. To teach the chickens to use them I remove any other water sources and install the nipple waterer. Then I walk away. Chickens are curious creatures. They are attracted to that red thing and to the shiny metal. They will peck it and then run away and repeat over and over. Does not take them too long to figure out that the nipple is not dangerous. Once one doesn't run away but gets a drop of water to drink, the rest learn from watching.

This method, if you can call it a method, has worked for several batches of chickens here. I made a few extra nipple waterers and gave them to them to some of my neighbors. It worked for them too. I just refuse to worry. Maybe that makes me a bad chicken owner. I guess I have had chickens for 6 or 7 years now. Have never had one die when changing over to nipple waterers.
 
Thank you for this help. It’s been 5 days and they are still not learning. These are silkies by the way so I’m not sure if it’s the breed? I’m starting to worry they aren’t getting any water now. I bring them too it, try to make their beak touch it and I keep pressing the silver part so they see water comes out and then they go to the floor thinking the water is there.. I swear I don’t have the brightest bulbs here haha. I need them to have this method bc we are leaving for a few days in April and I need them to be self sufficient with drinking by themselves and me not having to refresh the water everyday. Is it me? Or just the chickens haha
 
Here's my thoughts about...
Nipple Training
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.
 
I just got a big bucket with 2 nipples (the red with the silver button) and 2 cups (with the yellow switch in it) and I keep pressing it in front of them and they still don’t get it or they go to the floor where the water is dropping out from. I feel like other chickens on here seem to have figured it out but mine aren’t getting it and it’s been 4 days and I’m worried they aren’t getting enough water now.
Just in case you still have a problem, I'm pretty sure I just switched to the same waterers you have. I went from a regular metal can to one with the same nipple mechanism. Just like with new hatchlings, you have to grab hold of a few of the hens (not all at once) and press their beaks onto the metal posts in the nipples...and make sure a number of the others are around. Believe me, they all watch, all the time. You do that with a few of them so as to get at least one eventually trying it for themselves. Once you do that, you are golden, the rest all figure it out usually that very day. I got them all on the new device within 2 days. Hope this helps. I really like the new blue buckets, I had them suspended on chains, but now have them sitting on upended 5 gal buckets, with the chains as a safety. Makes servicing them a lot easier. So much cleaner than the old metal cans with troughs.
 
When I switched to nipples, my gals were curious but wouldn't go near it because I had it set too low to the ground. It took a lot of moving it up and down the chain to find the "perfect" height for my gals.

Also, let them know it's "yummy", whatever you do to let them know you have a yummy treat for them...I read once to mimic a rooster calling the girls over when he finds a treat for them, "book, book, book" type thing.

My gals loved the nipple waterers, my new flock coming next month is going to be started with them.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom