Nipple waterer

[honeynajar]

Hey all this has probably been already answered a dozen times but I can't find it. I bought a nipple water can at the Maryland Poultry Swap. The nice lady told me to tap the nipple and once you get their attention then they will investigate. Once one gets the hang of it you'll be set. OK MY chickens must all suffer from ADD. I've been in the coop - sitting next to the waterer - tapping the nipple ... until it feels like the cows came home. The glance my direction... even come closer and look.... peck the back of my hand. other than that NADA.

Any other ideas?

 

[drm315]

Oh I wish I could help...I had superb look with my ladies...they took to it immediatley after I showed them! Maybe it's because it is 90+ degrees outside and they know they HAVE to have water!!

 

[Hamstery]

That's all I had to do with my older hens and they got the hang of it right away. I'm sorry your chicks are missing the point. lol How old are they? I have 7 week olds and I will be introducing them to the nipple waterer soon so I am subbing to this thread to get ideas in case mine act like yours.

 

[WinterLadyAK]

Hey all this has probably been already answered a dozen times but I can't find it. I bought a nipple water can at the Maryland Poultry Swap. The nice lady told me to tap the nipple and once you get their attention then they will investigate. Once one gets the hang of it you'll be set. OK MY chickens must all suffer from ADD. I've been in the coop - sitting next to the waterer - tapping the nipple ... until it feels like the cows came home. The glance my direction... even come closer and look.... peck the back of my hand. other than that NADA.

Any other ideas?

I brought a bucket fitted with the nipples into the coop when I first got them. I was carrying it in, so I think that helped, they all investigated because they thought it was treats. Once they pecked and got water, they got the idea immediately.

I still didn't have anything to hang the bucket from at that point, so it was about a week before I brought it back. I have two in the run now and a small one in the coop. They weren't interested in them when I hung them up, even though they had used one briefly. Of course, I figured they wouldn't remember it after a week, so I took a few of them over, and holding them touched their beak to the water. That helped, and then others came over to investigate once one of them was drinking. I did have to remove the other waterer because they definitely prefer it ... but I prefer them not pooing in their water! The first day that I left only the nipples in, I did notice they drank less water. I was a little worried, but wanted to power through, and it hasn't gotten above 70 here yet. By the second day, they must've figured out that it was their only option for water, and started drinking somewhere near normal volumes of water from it. I actually converted their red and white plastic fount waterer to a nipple waterer by installing 4 nipples in it and hanging it upside-down on a plant hanger and chains. I had hoped that the familiar red color might help them use it.