Nipple waterers, again... Not drinking enough!

[aart]

The ones they are not using are apparently malfunctioning. I just change those out with new nipples and that fixes the issue.

You don't figure out if and why they are malfunctioning?
More the HN's or the VN's?

 

[wamtazlady]

You don't figure out if and why they are malfunctioning?
More the HN's or the VN's?

I have had issues with both malfunctioning. These are older nipples that I have used for a few years. I believe it is due to the high content of minerals in our well water. I probably could clean up the nipples, soak them in vinegar, and have them work again. I am lazy. It seems easier to just change the nipples as they are relatively inexpensive. Just a few weeks ago I changed to a new tote for my water and new nipples. The old tote was leaking somewhere, either the nipples or a slow hole in the tote, roommate did not see where. With new tote and new nipples I should be good to go for another 3 years.

 

[RumneyRoost]

I switched my girls from a regular gravity waterer to horizontal nipples (heated bucket) in the fall. They figured it out. I saw all of them (5 girls, 3 are currently laying) drink from it, but they were barely drinking anything! Every 3 or 4 days I would bring their gravity waterer back out and they would each spend a good couple minutes drinking.

I tried washing and rinsing the nipples and the bucket incase it tasted funny but they just didn't like it. I switched back to the heated dog bowl for the winter. It's a pain to keep clean but I'd rather not have dehydrated birds.

Between the 5 of them they've been drinking just over a quart of water (1.3L) per day with the heated dog bowl. They were drinking about half that the nipples.

 

[wamtazlady]

When you are using an open container such as a dog bow it is really difficult to figure out how much water the chickens are really drinking. Some of the water, especially in winter when the air is dry will evaporate. Some will end up on the combs of the birds. Some of it will be splashed out. I figure if my birds are not constantly poking at the nipples then they must be getting enough water. If I would put a bowl of water in their run I am also sure they would all be over there getting drinks from it. But then they used to do that when I would refill the bowl with clean water.

 

[aart]

I have had issues with both malfunctioning. These are older nipples that I have used for a few years. I believe it is due to the high content of minerals in our well water. I probably could clean up the nipples, soak them in vinegar, and have them work again. I am lazy. It seems easier to just change the nipples as they are relatively inexpensive. Just a few weeks ago I changed to a new tote for my water and new nipples. The old tote was leaking somewhere, either the nipples or a slow hole in the tote, roommate did not see where. With new tote and new nipples I should be good to go for another 3 years.

Haha! I get it, kinda, I always want to figure out why and then fix it...occupational hazard.
It is tedious to find a leak.

 

[jreardon1918]

7 hens , 1 five gallon bucket. 3 HN. I bring a one gallon pitcher of water every few days. That way I don't have to carry the bucket. It is under the raised coop so no poop on the lid. They all seem happy.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I switched my girls from a regular gravity waterer to horizontal nipples (heated bucket) in the fall. They figured it out. I saw all of them (5 girls, 3 are currently laying) drink from it, but they were barely drinking anything! Every 3 or 4 days I would bring their gravity waterer back out and they would each spend a good couple minutes drinking.
I tried washing and rinsing the nipples and the bucket incase it tasted funny but they just didn't like it. I switched back to the heated dog bowl for the winter. It's a pain to keep clean but I'd rather not have dehydrated birds.
Between the 5 of them they've been drinking just over a quart of water (1.3L) per day with the heated dog bowl. They were drinking about half that the nipples.

It's possible as others have mentioned, evaporation from your gravity waterer and splash or spillage may make it seem like they're drinking more from it than the HN. We all have our preferences, I love the HN no more dirty water and I know they're drinking. Somedays the water level goes down more than others, I mark the container & fill to that and they drink what they need.

Works great in the brooder, no more wet shavings nor spilled water.

 

[Whippee]

I dont find any issues with consumption from the verticle nipples. I have two large pvc pipes with about 10 nipples for 6 chooks. We have a smaller home for the hens and the chicks. This home also has verticle nipples on a pipe for the small chicks, as well as a hanging waterer. Within a couple of weeks they are not only drinking from the hanging waterer, but also the nipples. This makes the transistion into the larger coupe a bit easier, water wise anyhow . In extreme temps here in Aus, I may put another in the coop too.

 

[aart]

I dont find any issues with consumption from the verticle nipples. I have two large pvc pipes with about 10 nipples for 6 chooks. We have a smaller home for the hens and the chicks. This home also has verticle nipples on a pipe for the small chicks, as well as a hanging waterer. Within a couple of weeks they are not only drinking from the hanging waterer, but also the nipples. This makes the transistion into the larger coupe a bit easier, water wise anyhow . In extreme temps here in Aus, I may put another in the coop too.

Yep, VN's are easier for them to use, but they also tend to leak more than HN's.
Can make a real mess in a brooder or inside a coop.

Welcome to BYC @Whippee !
Here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile,
so it shows up under you avatar.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[RumneyRoost]

It's possible as others have mentioned, evaporation from your gravity waterer and splash or spillage may make it seem like they're drinking more from it than the HN. We all have our preferences, I love the HN no more dirty water and I know they're drinking. Somedays the water level goes down more than others, I mark the container & fill to that and they drink what they need.

Works great in the brooder, no more wet shavings nor spilled water.

I considered evaporation but if I fill the bowl when I put them to bed at 5pm it's still full at 6am when I let them out. I also don't think there's much spillage going on, certainly not half a quart every day. We've been consistently below freezing for over a month, the bowl sits on a cement tile and there isn't any ice around it.

I would honestly prefer to keep using my heated bucket with the HN, at least for the winter since it stays clean. But in the two months that I was using it one hen stopped laying even though it was a very soft molt, could be a coincidence, and the two pullets that were laying slowed significantly. As soon as I brought the dog bowl back egg production between the two pullets almost doubled, and a third pullet has started laying.
I may try again in the spring before it gets hot. The bucket is insulated so it would keep their water cooler in the summer as well.