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

[aart]

You could, GASP!, get a couple of cups and a couple of horizontals and the chickens can choose to use the ones they like best. Which might be BOTH! And if that is the case, they will have the "less likely to freeze" horizontals for the colder parts of winter.

What a great idea!....BUT....you must give the HN's a long trial as the only available, because they are harder to use. Takes time and patience and should not be 'trained' to during extreme temps, many give up before the birds fully acclimate.

 

[bruceha2000]

Good suggestion. I'm make a replacement for my winter waterer using horizontals this time instead of verticals (I've had them fail for unknown reasons) and occasionally freeze. That one was their year round water source until the nipples failed so they have had a heated dog dish the last 2 winters. It works fine but I'm sure uses more electricity keeping the water from freezing. And of course in the non freezing months some of the dirt the girls toss in the air ends up in the dish so some maintenance is required. No maintenance on the 5 gallon drink cooler that fed the nipple pipe.

 

[ronott1]

What a great idea!....BUT....you must give the HN's a long trial as the only available, because they are harder to use. Takes time and patience and should not be 'trained' to during extreme temps, many give up before the birds fully acclimate.

I get mine using them withing a week of hatch.

 

[aart]

I get mine using them withing a week of hatch.

Do you use an open waterer at first?
I find some catch on quick...and others not so much.

 

[ronott1]

Do you use an open waterer at first?
I find some catch on quick...and others not so much.

I use a regular nipple water fountain first.

 

[aart]

I use a regular nipple water fountain first.

Regular?
Vertical nipples or Horizontal nipples?

 

[ronott1]

Regular?
Vertical nipples or horizantal nipples?

vertical first and then horizontal. I give them both options at first because the horizontal nipples take more force to operate. I push into the horizontal nipple, get some water and touch a chicks beak. If the chick seems interested I keep working with that one. All you need to do is to get one of them using it and the others will pick it up.

This



Then this

 

[aart]

All you need to do is to get one of them using it and the others will pick it up.

Yep, BTDT.
Had 3-4 day olds trying to work it....showed one and 4-5 worked at it all day but didn't get much satisfaction...but man, they were persistent! Takes em time to get strong enough and/or find the right angle to push it sideways. Reminds me I forgot to take the nipple bottle out to the coop the other day when I moved them out there.

 

[B&B FarmsSc]

I use self filling automatic turkey waterers. Just attach the hose to the pressure reducer. Reducer to waterer. As they drink...the weight lessens releasing a flow of fresh cold water.

 

[B&B FarmsSc]

The waterer and reducer