Poultry nipples-Farmtek

[Intheswamp]

rarebreedeggs4u, I hear ya on testing with a scrap bucket!!! I wish I could be so smart on such things!

I wonder if anybody has had trouble with a hole that isn't perfectly drilled leaking, a hole where the drill bit might have been angled a bit or ran in and out too many times? Would it be prudent to wrap a small piece of teflon tape around the nipples threads?

Ed

 

[Mrs MIA]

We got the idea to switch over after noting that all of the cages at our local Fairs use nipple waterers. I'm just so tired of the valves in other waterers failing and having to mop up soaked shavings.

I can't wait to get ours, and get it installed!!

 

[gryeyes]

I built two buckets with nipples; one with 3 nipples in the bottom of the bucket, and one with four nipples on a length of PVC pipe into the penned area underneath my A-Frame coop. I have ONE hole that's just a tad too large, or angled wrong at the end of the PVC pipe, so it drips all the time. One out of four on that length of pipe; it drains the 5 gallon bucket in just over a day.

I've tried silicone caulk, but not teflon tape.... Hmmmmm.

 

[rarebreedeggs4u]

My 3 1/2 year old helper (kind of~LOL) and I made eight double nipple waterers this morning with new 5 gallon buckets. It took maybe 30 minutes, largely due to the helper

Hanging them in the individual pens took longer. Just making sure they wouldn't come crashing down took the longest. I think we are REALLY going to like them. I did use teflon tape on mine, just in case.

I'm also using a 3" (I think) hole saw to make feeders out of some old buckets. I am spending a flipping FORTUNE...yes, that is correct, a FORTUNE on wasted feed and my kids are about to get some tough love. I drilled out 3-5 holes per bucket, 4"-5" from the bottom and am filling them up to about 1" below the holes. One pen of 9 Welsummers was EMPTYING a 12 lb feeder every DAY....feathered little monsters! They seem able to eat fine out of the new bucket feeder. I put 1 1/2 large scoops of feed in it 3 days ago and about 1/2 of it is still there!!!

 

[rarebreedeggs4u]

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I turned that bucket into a feed bucket

Normally, I'm more of a "tried it and messed it up type of person", so I was happy I remembered to try it first on something I didn't PAY for

The buckets I'm using for the new feeders are free, coming from the local grocer store's deli.

 

[kennedyscochins]

Okay, so I tried the nipple waterers today-sorry to say I had a lot of trouble. I put them in the PVC pipe only to find that they all were leaking (probably not a perfect hole). This wasn't a big deal to me though because I expected it and was ready with the caulk gun. I caulked around the nipples only to find my chickens pecking at the caulk before it was dried (I should have thought to take the chickens out, but didn't). So, now I had to completely take the whole setup (30 ft. through 6 pens) back down, put it in the garage (it's about to rain here) and re-caulk everything. I am letting it set there to dry overnight. So, a tip for everyone else is to learn from my mistake. Put it all together if you can before putting it in the pens.

I will try again tomorrow if weather permits and let everyone know how they work. I am hopeful now that I have them in the garage with the caulk drying.

Oh yeah, will caulk hurt my chickens. They didn't eat much, but I'm sure they ate some.

 

[Mrs MIA]

They should be ok.

We did something similar to Rarebreed's feeders only used a toilet pressure valve in a 5 gallon bucket and hooked it up to the garden hose. We put a splitter valve on it so we could put one in each pen... there are blocks around the base of the bucket but they just put their heads through the holes and drink. Water level goes down, the valve fills it up again. Works great all summer, and I can't wait for temps to get above freezing!!

 

[chickbird]

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try plumber's putty and if that does not work, the 2part epoxy tape(seal hole) and if it does not leak drill a new hole....

 

[kennedyscochins]

I am happy report that my waterer is working. After lots of trial and error, the chickens are happy-and I am too!

 

[Intheswamp]

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