I Despise pine chips!!

[petrel]

Be sure to use coarse pine shavings instead of fine or medium. Also, separating the feeder and water fount by as much distance as possible will help prevent them from flinging the shavings into the water when they are scratching around. We always had to pick a shaving or two out of the water, but nothing excessive. We always kept the water fount on successively thicker pieces of wood as the chicks grew.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Lots of different ways to do this. I just use a black rubber bowl when I have chicks with a broody hen. Fill the bowl with rocks so the chicks can walk on water when they step in it. They will step in it. I set that bowl on a piece of carpet that sets on the shavings on the coop floor. They eventually scratch shavings on the carpet and finally in the bowl, but that slowed the process down a bunch.

They will walk in the water and poop in it, so every day (or at the very most every other day) you need to dump that water and put clean water in it before the bugs in the poop start multiplying. When you dump the water out to change it, shake the poop and shavings of that piece of carpet. It doesn’t matter if the water has shavings in it or not, that poop makes it dangerous. Keep the water clean. By changing it every day or two, you keep the mosquitoes from breeding.

If you have a waterer where they are trying to perch on it, hang something over the waterer so they don’t have room up there. A milk carton with some sand or dirt in it works well.

In the brooder I use a chick waterer. I hung a wire from the top to keep them from knocking it over and used screws around the bottom to keep them from sliding it around. That board needs to be really level so the water doesn’t drain out. Even with the wire bottom to the brooder they manage to pop in this so I still have to empty it every day or two.

 

[ourltlflock]

I am using the nipples too. Used them from day 1, soooooo much easier! Screwed one through the cap of a Gatorade bottle, works great!

 

[Chictastic]

I have never used "horizontal nipples" is that the same as a nipple cup? Is that what they call it? Mine are just a little pole sticking out, there is no cup to catch anything. I'll try mine and see if they can figure it out

 

[ourltlflock]

I have never used "horizontal nipples" is that the same as a nipple cup? Is that what they call it? Mine are just a little pole sticking out, there is no cup to catch anything. I'll try mine and see if they can figure it out

I think the ones you are describing are to be used vertically.

 

[Ren2014]

Here's a thread on the horizontal and vertical nipples:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-vs-horizontal-spring-loaded-watering-nipples

 

[JaceAgain]

I have never used "horizontal nipples" is that the same as a nipple cup? Is that what they call it? Mine are just a little pole sticking out, there is no cup to catch anything. I'll try mine and see if they can figure it out

Nope, not same as the cup, its these
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-HORIZONTAL-POULTRY-CHICKEN-WATERING-NIPPLES-/221371433386
He sells a 5 pack too.

 

[Chictastic]

Ok, I MAY have figured out why I don't like them as much as others.
My bag says premium pine flakes and fine mix. Does that mean there are lots of fine shavings in with the flakes or are they saying that it is a very fine quality. I didn't even think about it because I asked the feed store for large flakes, but this does have lots of sawdusty like junk in it... Can anyone give me input on what your bags say?

 

[WYNot]

Yes, there are generally two types; fine and flake. You want flake. The fine shavings are too small and dusty.

As others have mentioned, it helps to get the waterer up out of the bedding a bit. Chicks being chicks they will peck and scratch in the bedding throwing it around. In our brooder last year we started out just setting the waterer on the floor. Same issue you had: lots of chips getting kicked up into it.

Next we tried hanging it. It still got knocked around enough to make a damp mess under it.

Finally tried the nipples and a water bottle. Chicks took to it quickly and water stayed fresher and cleaner longer. And not as much damp mess in the bedding. It didn't leak it was just that they liked to play with it and would peck at it without drinking. Still better than the normal waterers.

Unfortunately, don't have a picture of our nipple waterer in action. Basically just used some 550 cord to hang it in a corner.

Ok, I MAY have figured out why I don't like them as much as others.
My bag says premium pine flakes and fine mix. Does that mean there are lots of fine shavings in with the flakes or are they saying that it is a very fine quality. I didn't even think about it because I asked the feed store for large flakes, but this does have lots of sawdusty like junk in it... Can anyone give me input on what your bags say?

 

[JayDubYa]

http://janddwood.com/1.html
I like "the beaver bag". Of course, they are mostly east coast so it would depend where you live.