Not getting enough water from nipple waterer?

[black_cat]

wash bowl and water stay clean!

Yes, but that means you'd have to wash out the bowl and replace the water every 5 minutes, in my case. Mine kick dirt, shavings, and straw into their waterer all the time.

 

[black_cat]

Doing some quick googling, a chicken will 'on average, drink a pint of water per day' but I don't think that that's true with mine. One gallon per 3 days equals 2.666 pints per day, which equals 0.4443333 pints per chicken per day. So I'd say that maybe your girls are getting a bit less than they need- are the nipples horizontal or vertical? How many are there?

 

[PortlandME]

Doing some quick googling, a chicken will 'on average, drink a pint of water per day' but I don't think that that's true with mine. One gallon per 3 days equals 2.666 pints per day, which equals 0.4443333 pints per chicken per day. So I'd say that maybe your girls are getting a bit less than they need- are the nipples horizontal or vertical? How many are there?

I saw the same when I searched, but it does say it can vary by season and age of chicken (only 3 of the 6 have started laying). It does seem on the low end, but I wasn't concerned until I've been seeing them drink from the watering can (previously I was filling with a hose).

Nipples are horizontal. There are four of them, but only 3 are really accessible due to placement. Photo attached for reference.

 

[black_cat]

I saw the same when I searched, but it does say it can vary by season and age of chicken (only 3 of the 6 have started laying). It does seem on the low end, but I wasn't concerned until I've been seeing them drink from the watering can (previously I was filling with a hose).

Nipples are horizontal. There are four of them, but only 3 are really accessible due to placement. Photo attached for reference.

If only three had started laying, I think it would make sense that those three don't need as much. With the cooler weather, it's probably a bit less than summer as well. Do you think you could maybe place it so that all four are accessible at once? This way more of them can drink at once without having to wait. Is that right about chicken head height, or is it higher?

 

[PortlandME]

If only three had started laying, I think it would make sense that those three don't need as much. With the cooler weather, it's probably a bit less than summer as well. Do you think you could maybe place it so that all four are accessible at once? This way more of them can drink at once without having to wait. Is that right about chicken head height, or is it higher?

Thanks again for the response - great thoughts! I'd say it's about head height while their neck is slightly extended. I'll double check - maybe it needs to be raised a bit. I hadn't thought of them needing all 4 at once as I've never seen more than 2 drinking at the same time - but I'll keep a closer eye to see if that might help.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I have a 5 gallon horizontal nipple waterer in my open plan coop, which I love for the ease of cleaning, but I also have a 2 gallon "standard waterer" in the run itself, as I do not feel the chickens were getting enough sometimes out of the nipple waterer when it is really hot outside. They use both types equally.
We have wild (feral) chickens here as well, and I often see them drinking water off of leaves or whatever else they can find, so chickens are very adaptable to their circumstances.

 

[Acre4Me]

If they are laying eggs, then they are getting enough water. It sounds like they are in the low end of consumption, but the egg laying says it’s ok.

We use a waterer with a tray in the bottom - pretty standard option available. We place it on blocks to elevate it to keep it clean. Yes, it gets a little dirty, but not terrible. Nipple waterers are nice bc they keep the water clean. We’ve used them once, but it was summer and they definitely were not getting enough water, so we switched. We then tried it in winter with a de-icer, but the de-icer was not functioning correctly. So, we went back to the tray type waterer. If your chickens keep laying, then it works for them!

 

[FluffyBottomBantams]

Just popped in to say have nipple waterers in all my pens as well, and I’ve been wondering the exact same thing because they always seem so excited about the water...the only thing I can think is that because they don’t get as much water from each time they sip but it’s just enough to keep them satisfied. Will keep following this thread to see what others have to say. (And I’m with you, the nipple waterers are way easier!!)

 

[PortlandME]

If they are laying eggs, then they are getting enough water. It sounds like they are in the low end of consumption, but the egg laying says it’s ok.

We use a waterer with a tray in the bottom - pretty standard option available. We place it on blocks to elevate it to keep it clean. Yes, it gets a little dirty, but not terrible. Nipple waterers are nice bc they keep the water clean. We’ve used them once, but it was summer and they definitely were not getting enough water, so we switched. We then tried it in winter with a de-icer, but the de-icer was not functioning correctly. So, we went back to the tray type waterer. If your chickens keep laying, then it works for them!

This makes a lot of sense - thank you! Now I'm wondering about the 3 that haven't started laying and if it could be water related. They just turned 7 months, but assumed they hadn't begun laying because they hit maturity during the shorter days of the year. I figure they won't start laying until Spring, but do find it strange that half of the flock lays and the other half doesn't (they were all purchased together in late May/early June).

 

[Acre4Me]

This makes a lot of sense - thank you! Now I'm wondering about the 3 that haven't started laying and if it could be water related. They just turned 7 months, but assumed they hadn't begun laying because they hit maturity during the shorter days of the year. I figure they won't start laying until Spring, but do find it strange that half of the flock lays and the other half doesn't (they were all purchased together in late May/early June).

yes, hard to say if it’s water or season. But, some are late to laydue to season and individuals do vary with their egg production start time. Light has a big impact on them, and whether it’s increasing or decreasing. We hatched and kept two mixed breeds in early June, and one has begun to lay just recently, but the other has not.

when it gets warmer keep an eye on them and their water consumption, but egg laying will slow or stop without enough water.