Stupid waterer keeps leaking all over the floor of my coop!

[jnjross]

I've tried everything at this point. I just tried the nipples but they just don't dose enough water. My birds start to shut down and not eat after a day or so and go crazy when I add a bowl of water. They are using the nipple but only get one drop at a time which is not enough for a full grown chicken.

the nipple will continue to release water as long as its pressed, in one of my pensI have 4 nipples watering 11 full grown full sized chickens with no problem.

 

[The Lazy L]

So I am on my 2nd waterer. The first one was the cheap, plastic red and one from TSC. Every couple of days it would spill it's entire contents all over the floor of the chicken coop. So I went back to TSC this weekend and got the more expensive metal waterer. It leaked all over the floor of the coop last night and made a huge mess! I am so frustrated! I have tried hanging the waterers, I have tried setting them on the floor of the coop, and I have tried setting them on bricks on the floor of the coop (for more stability and level-ness). What am I doing wrong?

I believe the type of waterers you are using work on the vacuum principle.

They are not designed to hang because the weight of the water will break the vacuum seal and leak. That is why the handle on top doesn't have a "V" notch for the chain/S-hook.

If not placed on a semi level surface (or are small enough that the chickens can tilt them) they will leak.

Any holes in the "lid" will allow air in, defeat the vacuum and leak.

 

[rendezvous1838]

I have had no problems with this set-up. It is the heated version. I think the elevation on the concrete block keeps it out of the scatching zone. The cord loop on the top has no tension to break the vacuum, but is there as insurance from getting knocked over, although it has never been bumped as far as I can tell.
The water has been liquid all winter, even when the outside temp was -10 f . I don't have any heater in the coop other than the hens themselves and a 40watt bulb on a timer.
In the summer I used a nipple waterer outside of the coop in the run, and they loved drinking from the dog bowl while out at recess.

 

[ChickenWaterer]

THe water flow is a function of both the nipple design and the water level in your tank. The higher the water level, the higher the water pressure and the higher the water flow.

Our current model waterer (www.ChickenWaterer.com) has a valve with high water flow. You might want to give it a try, but regardless you should try to keep your tank as full as possible. In an ideal world, you would want the water level to be over 8" above the nipples.

 

[Cluckinghem palace]

The only time I ever had any kind of waterer leak is when it was not level. It will just drain dry if it is not.

Thanks that sounds like my problem. Very helpful

 

[Cluckinghem palace]

I have had no problems with this set-up. It is the heated version. I think the elevation on the concrete block keeps it out of the scatching zone. The cord loop on the top has no tension to break the vacuum, but is there as insurance from getting knocked over, although it has never been bumped as far as I can tell.
The water has been liquid all winter, even when the outside temp was -10 f . I don't have any heater in the coop other than the hens themselves and a 40watt bulb on a timer.
In the summer I used a nipple waterer outside of the coop in the run, and they loved drinking from the dog bowl while out at recess.

How far off the floor do you have it

 

[Cluckinghem palace]

I have had no problems with this set-up. It is the heated version. I think the elevation on the concrete block keeps it out of the scatching zone. The cord loop on the top has no tension to break the vacuum, but is there as insurance from getting knocked over, although it has never been bumped as far as I can tell.
The water has been liquid all winter, even when the outside temp was -10 f . I don't have any heater in the coop other than the hens themselves and a 40watt bulb on a timer.
In the summer I used a nipple waterer outside of the coop in the run, and they loved drinking from the dog bowl while out at recess.

How far off the floor do you have it?

 

[ChickyCh00k]

How far off the floor do you have it?

Hey there! Just an FYI: this thread is 10+ years old and the person you're asking your question to hasn't logged on to BYC since 2018. You'll probably get better responses if you start your own thread regarding your waterer questions.