Intermediate Waterer for 4wk+ old chicks

[Mtnboomer]

Hello everyone,
So my chicks (11) are doing great, but they keep "fowling" their waterer with bedding and poo. Its the mason jar screwed into a plastic base type. So I am having to dump it and freshen it every hour or so. I have tried hanging it but they top it and spill more than they drink. I tried the dropper style and a milk jug with sides cut out, but they didn't seem to get the concept. I placed either in the enclosure, watched for about an hour and no interest shown. Has anyone ever tried the nipples for chicks? I bought these in hopes to create a longer lasting clean water source.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Nipples can work with chicks, especially now that they're a little bigger. You may need to train them to it and definitely keep an eye on them to make sure ALL the chicks are able to use it (you may need to put in their old waterer at night, if you're not sure they're all successfully using it).

 

[aart]

Have you tried putting the water up on a brick or board?
How old are your chicks?
I put feed and water on a tote lid for the first week or two.
This is in the brooder on sand.....but also use it out in the coop on shavings.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

I use the horizontal nipple waterers for chicks (I start them on it at about a week old) and tap the nipples so that the tiny "cup" has water in it that they can see. They catch on very quickly, though. I also transition them to fermented feed at about the same time, and check butts at least daily to ensure that no one is pasty. It's worked very well, and no more dealing with shavings-filled waterers!

 

[GC-Raptor]

After 4 weeks old, I used a 2 gallon galvanized fount in their outside enclosure. . If it got poop or debris in trough, I just lift by handle and tilt. GC

 

[Mtnboomer]

After 4 weeks old, I used a 2 gallon galvanized fount in their outside enclosure.View attachment 1720416. If it got poop or debris in trough, I just lift by handle and tilt. GC

Its still too cold here to go outside and they are way too small to join the main flock in the coop so they are in an intermediate enclosure now indoors

 

[Mtnboomer]

Have you tried putting the water up on a brick or board?
How old are your chicks?
I put feed and water on a tote lid for the first week or two.
This is in the brooder on sand.....but also use it out in the coop on shavings.
View attachment 1720412

Yes and they still get stuff in it. They are very active and love scratching

 

[debid]

Hello everyone,
So my chicks (11) are doing great, but they keep "fowling" their waterer with bedding and poo. Its the mason jar screwed into a plastic base type. So I am having to dump it and freshen it every hour or so. I have tried hanging it but they top it and spill more than they drink. I tried the dropper style and a milk jug with sides cut out, but they didn't seem to get the concept. I placed either in the enclosure, watched for about an hour and no interest shown. Has anyone ever tried the nipples for chicks? I bought these in hopes to create a longer lasting clean water source.

I've used nipples since the beginning of my chicken keeping experience 8+ years ago. And yes, with little bitty chicks as it doesn't take a lot of pressure to work the vertical kind. I don't put in any "JIC" water source anymore. There's no need as several batches have shown me that it's unnecessary. It usually takes a little settling in and then one of them pecks it and a water party starts with droplets flying everywhere as they all hammer away at the shiny thing. Once you see that, "training" is done. I hang the waterer so the shiny bit is at eye level and then raise it so they need to tip their beaks up a bit after the first water party. I use a little hook and jack chain so the height is easily adjusted as they grow.

 

[Mtnboomer]

UPDATE: Installed a milk jug with nipple in bottom. Works great! They figured it out in about 10secs! Wish I had done this 2wks ago

 

[debid]

UPDATE: Installed a milk jug with nipple in bottom. Works great! They figured it out in about 10secs! Wish I had done this 2wks ago

I hope you poked an air hole in the bottom. And yeah, so much easier/cleaner.