if you've used a chicken nipple water system (what style) and how to you clean them?

[ElCerritoPlace]

I just converted to this system due to the addition of ducks in the flock. But my bucket gets green algae in it. How do you clean your waterer or keep it clean? What style do you use? and how to you hang it or set it up?

Pics would be great! Thanks in advance!

 

[timmysixgun]

If you want to stop algae you need to stop light transmission. I use a cup drinker system that I made and I use a black bucket. Also don't use any clear tubing or pipe.

 

[yyz0yyz0]

I use a drywall spackle bucket with three nipples on the bottom. I like that I can see the water level at a glance, have had no problems with algae yet. The nipples I got off ebay and they can be taken apart to clean when needed. Right now I can go a week without having to worry about water, there is still plenty left after a week but I change it and rinse the bucket

 

[ElCerritoPlace]

I use a drywall spackle bucket with three nipples on the bottom.  I like that I can see the water level at a glance, have had no problems with algae yet.  The nipples I got off ebay and they can be taken apart to clean when needed.  Right now I can go a week without having to worry about water, there is still plenty left after a week but I change it and rinse the bucket

So you just put the nipples off the bottom of the bucket? No PVC pipe or anything? How do you hang it? Is it inside your coop?

I've been using a PVC pipe and a white brew bucket, but it's outside and at first the algae wasn't bad but now it seems every couple days it's green. And I can't tell what the pipe looks like inside.


So I'm thinking of building a different one for the layers and using this one for the meat chickens, if I can get the algae under control.

 

[jetdog]

I use horrizontal nipples in a old cat food container and it works great, I had vertical nipples but hear in the north east they froze solid or leaked, the horrizontal nipples don't hold any water they are spring loaded so no more leaks and no freezing with a stock tank heater inside.

 

[ElCerritoPlace]

I use horrizontal nipples in a old cat food container and it works great, I had vertical nipples but hear in the north east they froze solid or leaked, the horrizontal nipples don't hold any water they are spring loaded so no more leaks and no freezing with a stock tank heater inside.

Where do you find those online?

 

[timmysixgun]

The reason the algae keeps coming back is because you have not killed it. Two cups of bleach in a full bucket should do it. Let it sit for 20 minutes and then dump it. Then let the bucket dry before using it. Algae grows in the presence of light so if you are using pvc pipe then there shouldn't be any algae in the pipe. Try keeping the bucket out of direct sunlight.

 

[chickendadma]

Quote: You can find them here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-HORIZONTA...873?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ad6ae57d1
That's the seller I bought mine from. I love them and wouldn't do it any other way (but I'm also a new chicken parent and haven't tried any other type of nipple.) I decided on the horizontal ones after reading good stuff about them on this forum. I've got mine installed in a 5 gallon bucket I got for free from the grocery store which used to have frosting in it. It works like a charm.
The chooks, of course, still prefer to drink muddy water out of puddles if it's available. But they like the nipples just fine too

 

[jetdog]

I got mine from Susan at "all bout chickens"

 

[ElCerritoPlace]

I got mine from Susan at "all bout chickens"

Thanks!