Switching watering system

[Dunwoody-Jen]

Need advice. I have 4 chickens 15 weeks old, that have been using a gravity type small chick waterer since they were a day old. I have tried unsuccessfully to switch them to a cup waterer which got dirty and they never quite go the hang of. Now I’ve got a nipple waterer in the coop that the girls also can’t figure out. I have not removed the chick waterer because temps here are in the 90’s and I need to make sure they are drinking! But I’m having to clean and refill this chick waterer multiple times a day! Advice???

 

[azygous]

Is the nipple waterer horizontal or vertical?

The cup type is difficult for chickens to learn to hit the trigger to fill the cup. I gave up on that kind. My adult chickens just couldn't grasp the concept.

Horizontal nipples are spring loaded and take a pretty good hard peck to activate. Your chicks should be old enough to work those.

Vertical nipples are easiest. Two days ago, I decided it was time for my eight-week olds to learn the nipple system. They were crowding around the new water bottle and hitting the nipple even before I got it hung up.

You need to remove their old watering system before they will agree to the new. Don't worry. In ten minutes they'll all be drinking out of the nipples.

 

[Dunwoody-Jen]

It’s a 2 gallon Horizontal nipple waterer from Rent a Coop. It got great reviews but my girls just don’t seem to “get it”. It’s been 2 days now. I’m wondering if I need to put something underneath it? It seems to spin around too easily.

 

[azygous]

If the waterer is hanging free, it's going to be difficult for the chickens to hit the moving target. It would probably be better to but it on something stationary. At least until they get used to it.

 

[wamtazlady]

As long as the chickens have an alternate water system, they will never learn to use nipples. I have always assumed that the chickens would peck at the nipples as they are attracted to the color red and they are curious. I have never been disappointed. Has never taken any chickens I have brought home more than a couple hours to be using nipples. Once I brought home 3 month old pullets that had only used a dog bowl. Put them in the coop as it was dark. When I checked on them at 7 am they were all getting drinks from the nipples.

However, with your temperatures being so high even 2 hours might be too long a learning curve. If I were you I would wait until temperatures were not so extremely hot before changing them over to nipples. Then you can remove other water systems and wait the couple hours for them to figure out nipples.

From what I have read in the forums over the years, those cup type systems seem to be the most difficult for a chicken to use. I use horizontal nipples myself.

 

[blackdog043]

Did you set the waterer on something? It will be a lot easier for them if the nipples stay still.

All my waterers are horizontal nipples, don't give up hope, they work great and they always have clean water!