How to get your chickens to use nipples???

[cackydoodledoo]

I bought some chicken nipples from Neil on here and have made one waterer so far and hung it in the coop. I played with the waterers and had a few chickens come up and play with it and figure it out. Only problem is I don't know if they all have figured it out. At one point can I take their bucket of water out? Getting tired of washing it out everyday and was wanting to go to the nipples to save work on my part. I don't want them to get dehydrated if they haven't figured it out yet!! Any suggestions would help. Thanks!

Btw I have had it in there for a week or two and haven't had to fill it back up yet.

 

[Neil Grassbaugh]

If even one bird is drinking from the nipple and it is hanging straight down from an appropriate height all you have to do is remove the other water sources and they will drink from the nipple just fine. They will get plenty of water from the nipple drinkers.

You are over thinking this.

So why didn't you ask me sooner? Answers are included in the price!

 

[cackydoodledoo]

I'm sorry Neil! I didn't want to be a pest. I lost the directions to begin with and had to email about those and was just avoiding being a pest. I have several that I have seen pecking and drinking from it so I will pull the other water tonight and let them have at it!!! Thank you for responding!!!

 

[cackydoodledoo]

Took the bucket out the other day and they have all evidently figured it out. I can see wetness underneath it from them messing with the nipples and the amount of water has went down considerably. Thanks Neil for all your help!!

 

[goacom]

Sorry, I'm a newbie here. In fact I don't have any chickens yet, but am working on it. I would appreciate your advice on these feeders:

http://cgi.ebay.com/GRAVITY-1GAL-NIPPLE-WATERER-FEEDER-4-CHICKEN-COOP-HEN-/130472865837

My main objective is to keep the area clean and dry and to minimize loss of feed and water. One concern I have is whether it would be uncomfortable for chickens to drink water if the nipples face down vertically?

Regards

 

[cackydoodledoo]

Hi goacom and

I think that is a little pricey for those but not sure. You an order the nipples from Neil and they are really cheap. I think I ordered 25 or 30 and with shipping and all it was $35 so that's barely a dollar a piece. You don't have to order that many either. The only other thing you need is a bucket and a drill with the right size bit. They are very simple to make. You might hit on search up about and search for feeders or look in the feeding section too. There are alot of threads about pvc feeders and other gravity type feeders like the one shown. If you are even slightly handy then you could make one for much cheaper I think. If you have any more questions just holler!

Here is Neil's email if you want to contact him. You can also find him on here and PM him as well.

[email protected]

Sorry forgot to answer the question about drinking vertically. No it's not uncomfortable. You just hang the waterer at a level where they have to just reach their head up to tap it. Mine love it and so do I!

 

[Germangirlygirl]

Hi Neil,
How do we go about buying chciken nipples from you?
sincerely,
Stefanie

 

[Aquaman05]

I made a nipple drinking system with PVC pipe and they don't touch those at all.
I made one out of a bucket and most r drinking from them. Not sure what the difference is.