post your chicken coop pictures here!

[MeepBeep]

I don't know why horizontal nipples would be less likely to freeze than vertical ones. In fact I would guess they would be more likely to do so since the water drips onto the plastic part where it can freeze. But I've never used them so I have no personal experience/knowledge.

The way the horizontals are designed the sealing point is inside the water, and they generally leak less... Yes, the small cupped area (holds about a single drop) outside can freeze but that is generally knocked away with the first peck, and then since the rest of the nipple mechanism is inside the heated water they flow again... Sometimes they will build up ice and freeze one the outside, but if the chickens don't knock it free you can or some just hit it with a hair dryer... In truth they do resist freezing better...

 

[Latestarter]

My horizontals did freeze up on the outside cup overnight when temps were -10 or lower over a week or two period last winter. All I did was hold the frozen nub and rub it with my fingers for a moment in the morning when I went out to feed them and it melted right off and started running again. I'm very pleased with them.

 

[Gorman Farm]

Like I said in my previous post everything except the screws was re-purposed to make our coop. We were also taking down an old shed so that helped with materials.
Here is a pic of one of my nesting boxes, I designed with an old shelf,

an old tool bin we were not using, it is both screwed into wall and I placed the brick under for added support.

 

[FarmerPhronc]

My horizontals did freeze up on the outside cup overnight when temps were -10 or lower over a week or two period last winter. All I did was hold the frozen nub and rub it with my fingers for a moment in the morning when I went out to feed them and it melted right off and started running again. I'm very pleased with them.

Yeah I too live in Colorado, seen it get down to -30, that's why I'm switching over to the horizontal nipple. It's only been getting down in the teens so far and already having issues with vertical nipple freezing.

 

[Sylvester017]

No, i dont think a hawk could carry her off, she was quite large but some cat lovers believe they have the right to let their cat run loose because its their nature... years ago my answer to such trash was a 22 long rifle hollow point between the eyes and a hallowed spot around one of my trees as fertilizer but i dont own a rifle any more. I have been leaving them out all day unsupervised so it could have been a stray dog or cat. i havent noticed any but it used to be a problem. ill just keep them in for the winter and set up a run of some kind in the spring. i used to be proactive, now im passive and my neighbors appreciate it. Havent seen a predator yet that can eat through steel barn siding

Good luck with your new protective strategy. Fences work to keep chickens inside but doesn't keep the predators outside! Have a safe winter!

 

[Sylvester017]

I don't see where elevation would make a difference on the nipple waterers, at least not the ones I've seen. The are very simple mechanically, tip the bottom of the pin and it lets a drop of water pass by the top of the pin and the O ring and slide down the pin.

Yep, I have no idea what freezing climates or high altitudes are like and went by what one Colorado breeder told me about their nipple valve waterers.

 

[FarmerPhronc]

I'm some what new to raising chickens. I say some what because I worked on a farm/ranch taking care of 250+ chickens. What a difference having your own can make. I only have 5, that I got 3 weeks ago. Observing them on a daily bases, a world a part. One of the things I've noticed is that they like to roost even when they are out in the run. I have trees on my property, I have a chain saw, I'll be adding roosts to my run soon... lol

 

[Sylvester017]

I'm some what new to raising chickens. I say some what because I worked on a farm/ranch taking care of 250+ chickens. What a difference having your own can make. I only have 5, that I got 3 weeks ago. Observing them on a daily bases, a world a part. One of the things I've noticed is that they like to roost even when they are out in the run. I have trees on my property, I have a chain saw, I'll be adding roosts to my run soon... lol

Oh, they will LUV the natural wood branches! A tree stump makes a good rest spot also. Sad that we had to pull ours out to make way for a new block wall! Our chickens will have a whole new yard to get used to again!

 

[perchie.girl]

I'm some what new to raising chickens. I say some what because I worked on a farm/ranch taking care of 250+ chickens. What a difference having your own can make. I only have 5, that I got 3 weeks ago. Observing them on a daily bases, a world a part. One of the things I've noticed is that they like to roost even when they are out in the run. I have trees on my property, I have a chain saw, I'll be adding roosts to my run soon... lol

I set up saw horses for mine easy to move and gives variety.

 

[FarmerPhronc]

I set up saw horses for mine easy to move and gives variety.

I saw this before, perhaps from you. I do have a couple of saw horses I could place in the run. Biggest problem... I use the saw horses for other projects as well.