Nipple waterer?

[LittleMissCountry]

I am new to keeping chickens, and I am tired of cleaning poop out of the waterer. My chicks are going on 8 weeks and even with the water elevated or hanging, they find a way to poop in it about once an hour. I have the standard large waterer from Tractor Supply.
Where is the best place to get a nipple waterer? We have a Tractor Supply nearby, but that is the only feed store around. I checked on Amazon and found either build it yourself parts and pieces or ones that are huge and expensive. I only have 4 chickens, so I don't need a huge waterer. I don't know enough about them to build one from just buying the pieces.
Any advice on the best one to get and where to get it? Links would be awesome! Thanks!

 

[SueT]

Tractor Supply sells the nipples in packages of 4 or 5. You drill holes in a bucket or bottle and screw them in. At our TSC you can also buy a ready made nipple bucket for about $20. If you make your own, know that there needs to be air hole in top or water won't go out the nipples.
We got a 1 gallon bucket and installed 4 nipples, and also put some in water bottle lids for the brooder. Younger chickens are more open minded to learning to use these than older hens. But ours now all prefer drinking this way and we have eliminated dirty water!

 

[LittleMissCountry]

Thank you! I have to go to TS tomorrow to buy pine shavings, so I will look for the nipple waterers. If I can buy ready made that would be great, since I am not super handy with building. Lol.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

So I ended up running to TS tonight to get one and they were all out of the $20 one. The only one they had was bigger than what I needed. Long story, but after trying multiple avenues, including online site to store shipping, it kept coming up unavailable. The manager even offered to have me ship it to the store 40 minutes away and she would pick it up, but it cancelled my order, saying it was unavailable .

So the manager told me to come in tomorrow and she would sell me the larger one at the $20 price. It is bigger than I need, but it will do the job.

 

[SueT]

The chicks may need encouragement to try it, or they may get it right away. Just tap on the nipples over and over. Good luck!

 

[LittleMissCountry]

The chicks may need encouragement to try it, or they may get it right away. Just tap on the nipples over and over. Good luck!

I don't mind working with them until they get it, especially if it means no more poopy water.

 

[llombardo]

I just got mine today. I got the last 2.5 gallon heated waterer with the nipples for $24. I don't think that was the correct price, but I took it and ran with it.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

So I got the nipple waterer today. They gave me the 5 gallon one for $20, since they couldn't get me the smaller one. I hung it in the portable run and moved my chicks out there one by one, showing each one how to use it. One of my black stars immediately pecked at it and started drinking, but the others were a bit hesitant. Both BO's let me guide their beaks and drank a little but wouldn't do it themself. The other black star freaked out and wouldn't even let me get her beak near it.
So I am watching them and after about a half hour, they all seem to have figured it out! Yay!

 

[SueT]

great!!!!!!! glad to hear!