"Poultry Nipples Ineffective for free-range birds"

[HFOrganicFarms]

I am wondering if said statement is valid. I heard this at EcoFarm in a discussion group on poultry. The reasoning behind this is that it's not convenient for free-ranging chickens, while it maybe convenient for chickens that are cooped up. My birds aren't gated either, they have 12 acres to roam about.

I can see how this maybe valid statement when considering us humans. Many of us do not drink enough water to keep us hydrated, and I would certainly be discouraged to keep properly hydrated if I would have to run back and forth to a low pressured water fountain.

I know there are some good alternatives, but I'm quite busy, and would like to know if it would make a significant difference incorporating a better hydration system for my little feathered friends. Thank you in advanced!

 

[WthrLady]

I have 5 gallon buckets with horizontal nipples on them scattered about my acreage. Chickens get thirsty, they mosey towards a bucket...eating as they go. They stay until they've had their fill and mosey away.

 

[aart]

Not convenient?
And other types of waterers are more convenient?

Doesn't make sense to me.

 

[HFOrganicFarms]

Not convenient?
And other types of waterers are more convenient?

Doesn't make sense to me.

I heard from an experienced chicken handler that poultry nipples are not convenient for free-ranging chickens. I am wondering if this statement is valid.

 

[lazy gardener]

Of course it's not convenient. They will choose the muddiest nastiest puddle they can find any day, over clean water in a bucket, with or without nipples.

 

[RichnSteph]

Of course it's not convenient. They will choose the muddiest nastiest puddle they can find any day, over clean water in a bucket, with or without nipples.

I know that's the truth. I've got a 5 gallon waterer that is filled with crystal clear water and a #5 washtub in the run to help keep the wild birds from the chicken waterer. Every morning I let them out to free range the property and they all head to the duck pond to drink. I haven't had time to install the pumps yet so it's 785 gallons of still water that the duck poops into when she swims....

 

[aart]

Quote: I am also wondering if it is valid.....
did you ask them...why I asked what other kind of waterer do they recommend that would be more convenient?

 

[pdirt]

Sounds like a statement needing more context, you know, they need to explain what they mean by "not convenient".

I will say that free-range or not, any chicken nipple is not going to be as convenient as an open waterer. Not convenient for the chicken. But generally healthier for them and way more convenient for the human(s). I don't want to have to change their water every single darn day, like I read so many folks do, just to make it a little bit more convenient for the chickens.

 

[HFOrganicFarms]

Sounds like a statement needing more context, you know, they need to explain what they mean by "not convenient".

I will say that free-range or not, any chicken nipple is not going to be as convenient as an open waterer. Not convenient for the chicken. But generally healthier for them and way more convenient for the human(s). I don't want to have to change their water every single darn day, like I read so many folks do, just to make it a little bit more convenient for the chickens.

I agree, I just don't want dehydrated chickens or inefficient layers, thanks for the feed back though!

 

[pdirt]

Quote:
We free range in the summer and besides their nipple watering buckets in the runs, they have a couple ponds to drink from. They drink probably more than 50% of their daily water from the ponds. During winter, lots of snow and ice on the ground, no foraging available, so we keep them locked up in the runs. Two winters now on nipple waterers and we have had no problems. We get plenty of eggs and everyone seems healthy. I'd say they probably spend more time consuming water, because as I mentioned, it's less convenient for them to drink from the nipples. But, so what, they have nothing else to do! Up until a few days ago, they were getting along fine on a single 5 gallon bucket with two horizontal nipples for 23 birds. I recently installed a couple more nipples on the bucket so they don't have to wait as long. As for them actually drinking less using the nipples vs. an open waterer, I don't know. I don't know if anyone has actually studied that or not. I do know that it seems to be working just fine in my case.