Learn to use water nipple

[Suckafish272]

Try your best to catch one of your chickens then gently grab it's head and 'peck' at one of the nipples with the birds beak. Do so until some water comes out and you can see your bird drinking. That should be all it takes. Once one gets the idea the rest will catch on real quick.

 

[Sabz]

I won't give in Yesterday was full sun and 30 degrees, so I was more worried, but today it's rainy (but still pretty warm) so it's not that bad.

PLUS! I got eggs yesterday even though they didn't have water for a few hours. I thought it would halt the egg production.

I saw a place where it was mentioned to stick a cherry tomato on the nipple to attract the bird lol. I'll do that if I don't see the water going down... but I could see the light in her eyes when she watched me click the metal thing. I know she knows

Suckafish, I could do that. I didn't try to catch them yet, they are pretty afraid of me. I think she'll probably be so traumatised in my hands that she won't drink, but it's a good point.

We'll see how it goes. As time goes by I think they will be more "willing" to try new stuff. Up to now they are completely afraid of apples, noodles, worms. Maybe they peck at it when I leave the coop, so I'll keep showing them new stuff and eventually they will be more curious and adventurous, I hope

 

[mortie]

How do you have them set up? One thing I learned with mine that the seller did not tell me is that they won't work in a vacuum. There has to be some vent for air to get in. I failed when I tried them at first because after they put out a few drops of water, no more was coming out so the chicks lost interest. Once I poked a vent in my container, it went really quickly. So if you have yours in some container that doesn't let any air in, try making a vent hole somewhere. I have 2 nipples on a 5 gallon bucket with a snap on lid and I just leave the top unsnapped on one side. It keeps dirt and stuff out but lets a small amount of air in which keeps the thing working great.

 

[Sabz]

That's right Mortie! They didn't mention the vacuum, but I read it on a post here somewhere, so I do have some vents. They work OK when I manually tap on the metal part, water comes out correctly.

The vendors should really explain this, I suppose many people forget or don't know about the air intake.

 

[mortie]

I had assumed that some air would go up like a water cooler or a hamster bottle - the bubbles are able to come in through the bottom. Not so much. When you tap it, a good amount of water should come out. I mistakenly thought mine was working because the first couple taps stuff does come out but then it stops. I wish that had been explained to me lol.

Sounds like you've got everything in place, now your chickens just need to get it through their thick heads that you want them to drink from there...

 

[Sabz]

IT'S WORKING!!!

Yesterday I went to adopt an ameraucana and a.. harok they say (I think it's some kind of mix, I am not really sure). Anyhow, I got home with these two and sat in the coop for a while to be sure everyone got along.

While I was petting my cute and gentle ameraucana (she is sooooo nice!!!! I can pick her up and she'll put her head on my should, ahhh) I heard the others drinking


I got 3 eggs again yesterday. The leghorns are very productive, I am amazed.

Thanks everyone for your help, I would have let the water bowl in the coop until I saw them drink with the nipple, and I guess that would have taken a lot more time then by removing the bowl

Here are my new friends. Currently searching for a name for the ameraucana. She is so nice, for sure she will be my favorite. I'll take her out gardening with me, I'll show her to my friend's kids.. she will become a real "pet" not "just" a chicken.. lol. She is even softer to pet then my parrot, the feathers are like silk!

 

[Sabz]

Hum, I am now realizing she might be an EE.
Hard for me to tell the difference. Anyhow, I still like her a lot, regardless of the breed lol

 

[iwiw60]

See??? I TOLD YA SO!!! It is hard, though, as chicken mamas, to supposedly take away their only form of drinking water. But the payoff is tremendous! Just think...no more spilled water bowls...no more wet floors...no more poop in the water...no more cleaning that dang waterer out every single day!! I'm SO PROUD OF YOU!!!

 

[Nwchickma]

How do you have them set up?  One thing I learned with mine that the seller did not tell me is that they won't work in a vacuum.  There has to be some vent for air to get in.  I failed when I tried them at first because after they put out a few drops of water, no more was coming out so the chicks lost interest.  Once I poked a vent in my container, it went really quickly.  So if you have yours in some container that doesn't let any air in, try making a vent hole somewhere.  I have 2 nipples on a 5 gallon bucket with a snap on lid and I just leave the top unsnapped on one side.  It keeps dirt and stuff out but lets a small amount of air in which keeps the thing working great.

A light bulb just went off over my head! I introduced my water nipples last week but haven't taken the other water out. I was worried the amount of water coming out wasn't enough but now I know why ( feel like a big idiot)

I'm going to pull out there other water tomorrow after I add a vent to the water nipple container. Thanks for the info!