i'm starting my chickens on nipple waterers and have questions

[GreenDragon]

OK i placed my waterer a 5gal bucket with 5 nipples on the bottom in my chicken pen last weekend. they don't seem to be using it... i see a few chicks check it out once in awhile. but don't think its being used, i still have 2 of my 1 gal waters in with them. any ideas on how to get them to use them? oh and how high should i have it off the ground?

 

[Messipaw]

My chicks picked it up after I tapped it once. My older girls gave me some trouble. I placed it thru a ladder slot just about head height. I removed all other water sources in their pen and kept tapping at the nipples so water would come out. I thru some meal worms under the waters and within minutes they were drinking.

Good luck

 

[GreenDragon]

My chicks picked it up after I tapped it once. My older girls gave me some trouble. I placed it thru a ladder slot just about head height. I removed all other water sources in their pen and kept tapping at the nipples so water would come out. I thru some meal worms under the waters and within minutes they were drinking.

Good luck

I will try that today thanks for the great idea

 

[nicbumstead]

Quote:
I agree Messipaw about tapping the nipples to let them see the water drip out. I did that and stepped back to let them go take a look. All it took was one of them to start using it and they all came running over to use it after.

However, I abandoned the nipple water system as I found that I was replacing the cheap nipples I purchased because they were leaking too much. I switched to using a 5 gal bucket with holes drilled near the lid, turned upside down in a 3" rimmed stainless steel tray. I drilled the holes near the lid so that I can fill and carry the bucket to the coop, then turn it over and have the tray fill automatically when it gets below the holes. It was cheap, easy to fill, easy to clean, and worry free. I'm not saying to abandon the nipples because if you got some good quality ones then you will not have any issues at all.

 

[Blooie]

I started out with vertical nipples in the bottom of an ice cream bucket. One chicken went over to investigate that pretty red shiny thing and when she tapped it, water came out., The others watched what she was doing. Training time over....they all got it! But I agree with removing all other water sources. They'll experiment with the nipple waterer but not rely on it as long as what they are used to is still available.

But I had trouble with the nipples dripping when they drank. Not a big deal - I just raked the damp bedding out into the rest of the litter, but still not ideal. So I switched to a 5 gallon bucket with horizontal nipples around the lower sides, put it in the run, and it's the best system for us, bar none. I got the horizontal nipples from eBay - 10 of them. Can't remember what I paid but it sure wasn't much and worth every dime. I put away the vertical nipple bucket, planning to use it just for chicks next year, but an accident with the outer run waterer running almost dry while we were out of town changed that! (Each caregiver thought the other had filled it) So the vertical one went back into the coop, leaks or not, as a spare water source. I'm back to occasionally raking damp litter, but they don't use it very often since they are only in the coop to lay and sleep for the most part.

 

[nubbard]

chicken nipples, not only for the chickens anymore.

 

[tntchix]

chicken nipples, not only for the chickens anymore.

I wonder if my barn cats would use this. I have a bunch from before I switched to the horizontal ones.

 

[nubbard]

I wonder if my barn cats would use this. I have a bunch from before I switched to the horizontal ones.

I have no idea. This was a fluke. Lol. I had a sick chicken that I brought into the house for a while. I hadn't had a chance to remove the carrier I use for quarantine. I woke up to find the kittens drinking the chickens water. Now they do it all the time. Lol.

 

[GreenDragon]

The chickens are using the nipples; yaya great suggestions everybody. Im only using the nipples during warm months when i can have the waterers out side. In the winter im going to get vertical nipples for the sides of another 5gal bucket with a warmer in it for inside the coop. That way I don't have dripping in my coop or waddles getting wet and having the possibility of damage from cold and water.

 

[tntchix]

I have no idea. This was a fluke. Lol. I had a sick chicken that I brought into the house for a while. I hadn't had a chance to remove the carrier I use for quarantine. I woke up to find the kittens drinking the chickens water. Now they do it all the time. Lol.

It would make sure they are drinking fresh water rather than from the nasty old bowl that for some reason no matter how often I clean it, is just gross. Now, how to hang it and where. *ponders*