Switching from ground waterer to hanging nipple waterer.

[danceswithronin]

Is there any danger is swapping from a ground-based waterer to a hanging waterer with no adjustment period in between? I'm sort of worried that my chicks - who have never seen a nipple waterer - will not know to get water from it, and will go thirsty if I remove their regular waterer. But I'm also afraid if I leave their regular waterer in with the nipple waterer, they won't use the nipple waterer out of habit.

Do I have to do anything special behavior-wise to convince the chickens to make this swap? I'm really tired of having to clear a clogged waterer every day.

 

[Wezdin]

I would "peck" the waterer with my finger to show them that water comes out. How old are your chicks?

 

[danceswithronin]

Three and five weeks old.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Is it a vertical or horizontal nipple waterer? Either way, they'll figure it out pretty quickly at their ages.

 

[BlessedmamaAELE]

Yeah I wouldn’t worry, try and “teach” one chick, and the others will copy.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I would pick a day when you're available to check in on them, then "teach" them to use it, then take away any other water source. That way you can check in on them throughout the day to see if they're using the nipples properly - if some of the chicks are struggling, let them have their old waterer for a little bit, then try showing the struggling ones again how to use the nipple.

 

[Jbum]

Mine literally took to it in minutes.

 

[aart]

I would pick a day when you're available to check in on them, then "teach" them to use it, then take away any other water source. That way you can check in on them throughout the day to see if they're using the nipples properly - if some of the chicks are struggling, let them have their old waterer for a little bit, then try showing the struggling ones again how to use the nipple.

This^^^

I mark the nipple water bottle, so I can see how much the level has dropped.
Also give the open waterer back late in day so they go to sleep fully hydrated.

 

[augiesdad]

I have a nipple feeder and my girls took right to it. It should have red plastic right over the nipples and chickens are attracted to red but make sure you keep both waterer until they adjust to nipple one. Have fun with those little ones

 

[Toothpick]

When I switched to nipples I had to show them how it worked. They were fully grown already and used to drinking out of a regular ole bucket of water, like a dog bowl. So I just sat in there with them and made the water come out with my fingers so they saw it. Naturally curious they came over and started using it after a little bit.
Once I saw one peck at it I quit worrying.