Nipple waterer troubles

[jahphotogal]

I installed a nipple waterer a few days ago. It's hung about six inches above the chickens' heads, so they can easily reach it. But they TOTALLY ignore it. I have it in their coop/run, and no other water inside, but the old one is out in the yard so when I let them out in the morning they race over to it to fill up. I've tried standing there holding in the nipple so water drips down quickly, I"ve tried holding their heads and pecking their bills onto the nipples, but so far am failing. I could try to stick something tasty up there but if they don't even look, what's the point?

What else can I try?

 

[Little Wing]

I put a brick or something that will catch a little bit of water under the nipples to teach chicks. When it makes a puddle under it they get curious and check it out. Are you sure they are not drinking from them at all? When I first started using nipples I thought they weren't drinking from them because when I let them out they went crazy over a pan of water like they hadn't drank all day. If you make a mud hole next to the clean pan of water they will drink out of the mud hole the same way. Its their instinct to drink from the ground. As soon as one figures it out, they will all catch on. Good luck!

 

[chfite]

My chickens have a nipple watering system and use it all the time. The moment that I let them out to forage, they all race over to the dog's water bucket and drink as if they were seeing water for the first time.

Chickens.

Chris