Official BYC Poll: Which waterer is better: Nipples or cups?

[ChickenCanoe]

Here’s my setup

It is a nice setup but what are you going to do for winter?

 

[firewalker1]

It is a nice setup but what are you going to do for winter?

I still haven’t quite figured that part out yet. I may just drain that portion and use a heated water container

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I still haven’t quite figured that part out yet. I may just drain that portion and use a heated water container

Yeah, I saw you were in the Denver area and knew that wouldn't work when freezing weather comes.
I had a similar system in a 5 unit breeding complex that was supplied by a 55 gallon drum. It worked great till cold weather and the cups froze first. then the housings for the valves the cups spin onto exploded.
I developed a system for circulated heated water that I haven't completed yet but will eventually use for all buildings if the first one works out. But as much as I like the cups, they won't work in winter no matter how heated the water is because it can't circulate in the lines to the cups. So everything is being transitioned to horizontal nipples.

 

[HENS-and-MARES]

My hens break the cups, I haven’t tried the vertical nibbles. Cups may work for some birds, but not mine. I would always come to the coop to find leaking cups. Half the time the whole cup was on the ground! Nipples help keep the water clean, and prevent shavings and poop from clogging it.

 

[electrycmonk]

@electrycmonk
This one?
View attachment 2239610
I don't know where they get those pics, rarely are they credited.
The waterer you refer to is a type of auto fill waterer

THAT exact picture, yes.

"Auto fill waterer" for searching eh?

As usual, much thanks @aart for your continued help around here.

 

[Lori J]

I was excited about the cups, bu they get dirty somehow!!! Yuck. I’m still I’m not sure all my chickens know to peck at the little valve in the cup after we’ve had it for a year. I prefer the nipple waterers for cleanliness. I Also put one of those Plastic containers that you put by your sink to Put clean dishes in, and fill it with water and they like it. Stays surprisingly clean although sometimes my barred rock likes to stand in it

 

[Headhen3]

I use traditional waterers. I’m not a big fan of nipple waterers because I have seen them leak and birds not use them. Also I have well water and prefer something I can literally take apart and scrub as needed. I don’t think you can really clean a nipple and even city water gets nasty over time. My neighbor had an elaborate system of catching rain water off the roof and running it into a container which fed the pipes into the nipples.
things got mucky and full of algae and that was the end of that.

 

[aart]

I use traditional waterers. I’m not a big fan of nipple waterers because I have seen them leak and birds not use them. Also I have well water and prefer something I can literally take apart and scrub as needed. I don’t think you can really clean a nipple and even city water gets nasty over time. My neighbor had an elaborate system of catching rain water off the roof and running it into a container which fed the pipes into the nipples.
things got mucky and full of algae and that was the end of that.

Leakage usually happens due to bad installation, except vertical nipples, they are leaky.
No, pipes are not easily cleaned.....and roof water is inherently 'dirty'.
Horizontal nipples can be put into just about any vessel and can be cleaned when necessary.

 

[electrycmonk]

THAT exact picture, yes.

"Auto fill waterer" for searching eh?

As usual, much thanks @aart for your continued help around here.

Well shoot... @aart I came up empty on a few variations of search both in BYC & duck duck go too.

So I wonder if the OP or perhaps @Nifty-Chicken would know "who" would be able to help find that picture and give a link?

After all, I don't think I'm asking to much here. Or am I? I've been wrong before and will again. I am human after all.

 

[aart]

Well shoot... @aart I came up empty on a few variations of search both in BYC & duck duck go too.

So I wonder if the OP or perhaps @Nifty-Chicken would know "who" would be able to help find that picture and give a link?

After all, I don't think I'm asking to much here. Or am I? I've been wrong before and will again. I am human after all.

Not sure that pic even came from BYC.
I did a google search to find the product link.