Nipple watering?

[lsumedic84]

Will these work for ducks? I didn't have a problem with dirty water until I got ducks but now I can't keep it clean. I order a few of these to try it. Hopefully they can use them.

 

[MichelleMaha]

Just set up my three gallon nipple waterer (with 4 nipples). As mentioned previously, I ordered it from amazon. The company that made it was called BAFX. I just let my girls into the run and put a little orange marmalade on the nipples. Two girls started pecking at the nipples. Others got curious, so I think they've "got it"!!!! And mine doesn't seem to drip at all. Unless of course the girls are pecking at it.

 

[AmethystMary]

We absolutely love our nipple waterers. We started out with a liter bottle and the nipple in the cap of the bottle from day 1 of getting our chicks. For the first few days we did have a bowl of water available too, similar to what they were used to at the feed store, but we were able to take that out after 2 or 3 days.

We've now also made a 3gal bucket Waterbucket with the nipples. It REALLY cuts down on mess! The water keeps clean and fresh. Our chickens love it!

 

[chynasparks]

I got one off eBay it's long and cylinder, made out of PVC pipe. We could have made ours too but the price was good. It slipped one day and crushed 2 of the nipples. It was easy to replace and it's still in use in the run. I bought a 3 gallon bucket waters from tractor supply. It's in the coop. I've got a spare set of nipples for just in case. My peeps drink regularly and they look healthy. Never using tray wateres again.

 

[snhchick]

Oh, I also made a couple with coke bottles, and hung them in the brooder in a wall mounted shampoo holder

Hi,

I have the "soda bottle" type waterer and haven;t figured out a good way to hang them. Can you show a photo of the shampoo holder you are using? Does anyone else use these and, if so, how do you hang them. I only have three bantams, so i was planning to just use two two liter bottles. Right now I am using smaller flavored water bottles. Thanks.

 

[Woodsdweller]

You can make a simple hanger if you have rudimentary carpentry skills. With any size/shape bottle cut 1/2ish plywood (plywood works better in this application) into 2 squares at least 1 1/4" larger than the largest part of the bottle being used. Cut a hole 1/2" larger than the spout end and then cut a hole 1/4" larger than the bottom end. Drill holes in the 4 corners of each piece of plywood then connect the squares with pieces of nylon cord. Think macramé. The end result...............



Nipple waterer with hanger.



Tools/materials needed:

Drill
Drill bit slightly bigger than cord used.
Jigsaw or keyhole saw
Tape measure
Pencil/pen/marker
Straight edge
Nail/screw to hang hanger.

Optional tools:

Power saw
Hole saw
Drill press

 

[djpetorak]

After 30+ years of not having chickens we decided to get a few "just about ready to lay" hens. I guess I'd forgotten what a pain it was to clean the feeder and waterer every day. When I see photos of runs/coops with dirty water bowls and feeders it absolutely makes me sick. The way I see it, if a human wouldn't eat or drink out of it then neither should a chicken.

Anyhow, after cleaning the traditional waterer out several times a day (yup, even on a cinder block it was getting "stuff" in it) I decided to install a nipple system. Most of the PVC fittings I had in my "plumbing" bucket but I did purchase a 10 foot piece of solid sewer pipe. It cost me a little over $7.00 at a local hardware store.

I was a little concerned because the 3 hens (I call then 1, 2, and 3....I never name something I'll eventually eat) because they went a full day without using the nipples. I grabbed #1 and held her for about 4-5 minutes (they are not used to being handled)....yup, got pooped on and then took her beak and tapped the nipple several times. Within an hour all 3 (1, 2, and 3....again, I never name something I'll eat someday) were drinking from the nipples.

I haven't' measured how much water the system will hold but I'm guessing around 2 1/2 gallons. You can also see the feeder to the right of the waterer...another system that'll cut my "coop time" to almost nothing.
Don't get me wrong it's not that I ignore the chickens, heck fire, I'll grab my Kindle and a chair and spend an hour a day inside the run. They love human company and they are getting used to me...although they do give warning if someone else approaches the coop.