Nipple waterers

[jmoss]

Ok, thanks, I am in the process of getting all the parts together in order to start this urban farming operation. Thanks for the info.

 

[ChickenWaterer]

We suggest 8 birds per poultry nipple with a minimum of 2 nipples. You should always have a "back up" nipple in case of a clog or other issue.

By the way, we manufacture the BriteTap chicken waterer and are doing a give-away now if you are interested.

We're giving away 1 BriteTap waterer ($29.95 retail), but will add one more to the prize pool for every 250 likes. If one of your friends see your "LIke" and also "Like" us, you'll get a bonus entry for each one of your friends that does it. The more "Likes," the more prizes. The more your you share, the more you have a chance to win. Rewards everyone really.

To enter go to facebook.com/ChickenWaterer and click on the trophy icon in the timeline. Then like us. The official rules of the contest are posted there as well.


If you decide to enter, best of luck.

-Mark

 

[chad-o]

My package of nipples I think said 2-3 birds per nipple. But everywhere else I've read (mostly here in BYC) has said up to 15-30 birds per nipple. Both ends seemed extreme, either too many or too few nipples per bird. We have a 3 gallon bucket with 2 nipples in it for 12 birds, which seems fine. We have a second bucket we use in the summer, so there's even more nipples, but it's not so much for the birds but for me so I don't have to refill the buckets so often.

I had the same Question but rather depend on opinion. I contacted Solway Feeders they suggested 6 to 8 hens per nipple. They will answer any questions you might have concerning poultry or game birds.

 

[Murphy212]

Hi I use a 5 gallon bucket with a fountainhead, hose, and pvc pipe that the nipples are attached to. I set the bucket on a shelf outside the coop and ran the pvc pipe along the under side of coop securing with hanging strips designed for pipes. I just put the lid of the bucket loosely on top but found that some kind of insect was breeding in the water (mosquitoes maybe) so I took a piece of window screen folded it a couple of times and secured it to the top of the bucket with a bungee cord, then placed the lid and a brick on top. No more insects, the water stays clean and I simply refill by carrying a smaller bucket of water to the coop. Only have to refill about every 3- 4 days depending on the weather.
BTW I have 11 chickens and my system has 3 nipples and have had no problems. My coop sits about 3 feet off the ground so the pipe is just above their heads.
However I currently have another problem that I will post in another thread. Your questions were about set up of a nipple system.

This is the system I purchased.
http://www.amazon.com/Fountainhead-...53206&sr=8-4&keywords=chicken+watering+system

Murphy

 

[vconner]

I have a 5 gallon bucket that hangs in the coop with 4 nipples. The girls took to it right away. I also have a water bowl in the run for a back up. I have found that if I fill the bucket more than half full the nipples will leak until the water level has gone down some. I just place the lid on top of the bucket but do not snap it shut. I did have to place something over the top of the bucket at first to keep them from roosting on top of the bucket.

 

[FossilPeak]

The threaded type...going into PVC...do you just drill a hole and screw them straight into the pipe?

 

[ChickenWaterer]

Fossil:

You can use a drill only, but a better way is to drill a pilot hole and then use a 1/8" - 27 threads per inch NPT (National Pipe Thread) tap to create threads in the PVC.

Whichever way you go, use some teflon tape on the top of the threads to close off any small gaps. Most people mis-install these valves and then think they leak because they don't realize that water is dripping out of the pipe and then down onto the stem of the valve.

Good luck with your project

 

[FossilPeak]

Decided to throw one together this morning. I have my breeder quail in a 25'x6' run with an 8'x12' house attached. I made the waterer 6' long (plus a little with fittings and such). I am going to run it through the fence and attach a ball valve to one end so that I can flush the system and the other end I'll plumb it into a 330 gallon poly tote that will be elevated for more pressure like a water tower. Hold for pics...

 

[FossilPeak]

Cut my 6' joint into 18" pieces. Divided them with Tees so that I could put legs on it for support.

Attempted to line tees up with the writing on the pipe so that I could drill the holes for the nipple in a semi straight line. Cut my legs 6" long and capped the ends. Total height is about 8" for quail...that was just a guess.

Drilled 11/32 holes 4" apart and screwed in the nipples.

Will plumb through the pen this afternoon and post the final product...hope it works!

 

[Falcon Chickens]

I have made several version of these waterers:

I have a 5-gallon bucket version that I use in the summer that has 3/4" pvc coming out of the bottom of the bucket, to an elbow, to another piece of 3/4" pvc that is 4 feet long. I have 4 nipples on that piece of pvc. The pvc is black, so the nipples stand out, and the chicks took to it immediately.

I have another 5-gallon bucket version with three nipples in the bottom of the bucket that I use in the winter. It seems to me that using an orange bucket like you get at home depot didn't work very well for this due to the orange color of the bucket and the red color of the nipples was not sufficiently different, and the chicks didn't seem like they caught on as well, almost like they couldn't see the red nipples up against the orange of the bottom of the bucket. I changed to a white bucket, and they went for it instantly. In this winter bucket I put a bucket heater, and the water won't freeze. However, I've noticed that when it gets super cold (below 10 degrees) any remaining drops of water within the nipples will freeze, even while the water inside the bucket is not frozen. Above 10 degrees outside, the nipples don't seem to freeze.

In both of my bucket versions I have a bulkhead cut into the lid so that I can pour water in/out of the bucket or add some ACV or vitamins without taking the lid off.

I also have several other small versions that are made with plastic bottles (e.g. 1 liter water bottles, 2 quart orange juice jug, etc). These all have one nipple in the bottom of them, and I use these in my small coop that has younger chicks in it, and on the inside of my primary coop during the winter. By having several of them, I can swap them out in the morning and in the evening once they freeze up.

As others have said, use some plumbers' teflon tape around the threads of the nipples, regardless of whether you're screwing them in the pcv, the bottom of a bucket, or into a small plastic jug. I also suggest to also use some silicone. I've never experienced any leaks, even after many freeze and thaw cycles of my small waterers.