Not getting enough water from nipple waterer?

[Chickenmeme]

I have a nipple water er in mine but they never like it.I also have a galvinized waterer that they use. They seem to prefer it. I only keep the nipple one there in case of emergency.

 

[MrsMumMe]

We live in Australia. We transitioned our girls from the “ever getting dirty” deep water dish to horizontal style nipple waters some years ago. It didn’t take long to transition them, and they seem to enjoy picking at it out of curiosity as well as when wanting a drink.

Yes, it is always a little concerning the way they run to a deep water dish. But they do the same when they have a deep water dish and then see a stream of water on the ground from a tipped out bucket of water. They do the same if water is sprayed on the wire on the side if they cage.

We make a practice of physically checking that the waterer is still working every time we go to the pen. It always has been.
We also make a practice of putting in a deep water dish as a second water source on days that are above 30°C. I believe it helps keep them cooler when they drink, as they get more in each mouthful, and also their wattles hang in the water.

Clean water is more than a luxury. It is essential for all animals great and small, just like it is for humans.

 

[MrsMumMe]

wash bowl and water stay clean!

With a deep water dish, every time a hen comes from the feeder she has food all over her beak, which she then dips into the water and leaves behind. Every time they dig around in the dirt they have filth and who knows what else on their beak, which then drops into the water dish and washes off. This doesn’t happen with a horizontal nipple drinker.

 

[Sydney65]

Thanks for the quick reply! They aren't drinking a gallon a day... more like a gallon every 3-4 days.

I'm in a cold climate (Maine), and the nipple waterer that I use is heated. The nipples are horizontal. This is the one I'm using: https://www.amazon.com/Farm-Innovators-HB-60P-Poultry-Drinker/dp/B005BV1WLE?th=1

I had that one for a year, then it started leaking really bad. Originally I wanted a Premier1 3 gal waterer but they were out of stock. Just replenished supply before Christmas so I bought 2. I love it. Water stays clean, they send extra nipples for repairs, and the cord is detachable. Also, no green slime.

 

[SoFlockingHappy]

I usually keep both from them to choose from. I have hanging buckets with nipples, but i also keep a pan of water so they can gulp.

 

[olivigus]

We have a nipple system along the side of the coop that is always available, but mine will still gather around any time I put a pan of water on the ground (which I did on some particularly hot days this summer). I think they just like the novelty of it. I had to buy a bunch of water bottles used for guinea pigs and other small mammals when we had to evacuate ourselves and the 18 chickens due to wildfires last August, so I've started filling a few of those and hanging them around in the run every couple of days. I sometimes put a little apple cider vinegar in that source. I have several hens who just love to drink water from those bottles--in fact they line up in wait for it. I joke that one of my hens has a drinking problem, because she just loves drinking water from any source, any time. But she's also the one who's had some problems with an impacted crop in the past, so I think in her animal wisdom she is instinctively doing what she needs to do to stay healthy. All that is to say that a variety of different drinking tendencies is probably normal, but having a second source, such as the moveable water bottles isn't a bad idea.

 

[Gypse]

With a deep water dish, every time a hen comes from the feeder she has food all over her beak, which she then dips into the water and leaves behind. Every time they dig around in the dirt they have filth and who knows what else on their beak, which then drops into the water dish and washes off.

I've seen them do that with dirt. Dirt, water, dirt, water, dirt, water, dirt, water. They are either deliberately getting the water dirty, or playing making mud.

 

[chickieandchookie]

I have both - I am such a softie with my girls I would give them a hot water bottle if I could! At least I know that there is no reason for them to not drink.
My water bowl is placed in a plastic milk crate turned on its side and then a cover over the crate so they can enter but can scratch around to make the water dirty