New waterer baffles the girls

[Big Doggie]

My 5 week old Golden Comets have been enjoying the chicken tractor I made. Gives them lots of space to run around and flap their wings. I tried to get them to use a water nipple system I rigged up on a 5 gallon bucket but despite dozens of lessons by me about how water comes out when you tap the nipple they haven’t gotten with the program yet. So after 5 hours I bring them back in for the night and not wanting them to die from dehydration I give them their baby chick waterer.
So my question is how do I get them to start using the Big Girl waterer? And should I cave in every night and give them their water dish just to be safe.

 

[swamphiker]

They will figure it out eventually, I promise! Have you taken away other sources of water and left only the nipple waterer? That will give them some extra motivation to learn. I know it's nerve-wracking, but you may just have to leave them for longer until they figure it out. Chickens are kind of lazy, they won't use the nipples if there are other water sources available that don't require any work to access.

 

[rosemarythyme]

despite dozens of lessons by me about how water comes out when you tap the nipple they haven’t gotten with the program yet.

And should I cave in every night and give them their water dish just to be safe.

Until you're sure they can use the nipple waterer, yes, I'd give them water in a dish each night.

How exactly are you teaching them to use the nipples? Tapping with finger, applying something tasty to the toggle, picking them up and using their beaks to toggle, etc...?

 

[ChickForLife]

This thread is exactly what I was looking for. I have the same problem! This was very helpful

Until you're sure they can use the nipple waterer, yes, I'd give them water in a dish each night.

How exactly are you teaching them to use the nipples? Tapping with finger, applying something tasty to the toggle, picking them up and using their beaks to toggle, etc...?

Thank you, I think I'll try the "something tasty to the toggle!"

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thank you, I think I'll try the "something tasty to the toggle!"

I do the "pick them up and apply beak to toggle method," it's direct and lets me watch each bird as they work on figuring it out.

I don't want to sacrifice my homemade strawberry jam to a chicken nipple toggle!

 

[Big Doggie]

I’ve been tapping the nipple and they are watching closely as the water drips out but I will try to tap their beaks on it as well. Thanks

 

[ChickForLife]

I do the "pick them up and apply beak to toggle method," it's direct and lets me watch each bird as they work on figuring it out.

I don't want to sacrifice my homemade strawberry jam to a chicken nipple toggle!

I mix some of their feed with water to make a paste they LOVE!

 

[Big Doggie]

They will figure it out eventually, I promise! Have you taken away other sources of water and left only the nipple waterer? That will give them some extra motivation to learn. I know it's nerve-wracking, but you may just have to leave them for longer until they figure it out. Chickens are kind of lazy, they won't use the nipples if there are other water sources available that don't require any work to access.

When I put them in the tractor at 7:30 AM I leave just the new waterer system with the nipples. I bring them back home in the afternoon and also put in the same waterer in the brooder. But before 7:00 PM I’ll check on them and it looks like they haven’t had any water so I’ll put in their baby chick waterer.

 

[ChickForLife]

When I put them in the tractor at 7:30 AM I leave just the new waterer system with the nipples. I bring them back home in the afternoon and also put in the same waterer in the brooder. But before 7:00 PM I’ll check on them and it looks like they haven’t had any water so I’ll put in their baby chick waterer.

Did you try marking the water level?

 

[Big Doggie]

Did you try marking the water level?

No I haven’t tried that. There’s only 6 chicks and I don’t know if they would drink enough from a 5 gallon bucket to be measurable.