Teaching Chickens to Drink from Nipple Waterer

[Rich386]

Has anyone made one with a pvc pipe so you could place several chicken nipples along a distance of it? I'd like to use a 5 gal bucket to supply the water to the pvc pipe because I don't have a water source on that side of the house, and don't wanna mess with a regulator to decrease the pressure to 1 psi to use a garden hose. I am wondering if anyone has made one already that has tips on how I can make one. What did you use between the bucket and pipe and how did you keep it from leaking, etc. Thanks.

This is a system you can make that has everything you asked for. This is a gravity system the brass float valve connects directly to the water source. If you don't have a water source just don't use the valve but increase the size of the pail. Look in the sprinkler department of Lowe's or ?. You need a 1/2" thread to tubing fitting in the bucket and on the nipple run. The tubing will be in that dept. too. On the pail you need a nut and rubber washer to sandwich the fitting to the pail. A 1/2" romex connector nut can be found in the electrical dept. washers in hardware. Several of my customers have built this with the horizontal poultry watering nipples and they are all pleased with the results.
Hope this helps.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Has anyone made one with a pvc pipe so you could place several chicken nipples along a distance of it? I'd like to use a 5 gal bucket to supply the water to the pvc pipe because I don't have a water source on that side of the house, and don't wanna mess with a regulator to decrease the pressure to 1 psi to use a garden hose. I am wondering if anyone has made one already that has tips on how I can make one. What did you use between the bucket and pipe and how did you keep it from leaking, etc. Thanks.

The very simplest and cheapest way to connect the pvc pipe to a 5 gallon bucket is with a Uniseal. It takes just seconds to install: just drill the hole, put the seal inside and stick the pipe through. It'll outlast the bucket, requires nothing extra (like silicone) and won't ever leak.

 

[Rich386]

Quote: These are realy neat but since you only need one it is not such a good idea. Cost of a 1/2" is $1.99 cost to mail $3.07 Total $4.06 for less you can get what you need at the hardware store. The other plus is you can get it right now. I still think they are neat.

 

[LoneOak]

This Tidy Cat bucket has a float in the top that is feed from a 55 gal drum in the hay loft of the barn. It has one of the Uniseals on the outlet before the cut off valve and then branches off to feed 9 water cups in 3 different pens. Before I put the float and the small bucket in I was feeding directly from the 55 gal drum and the pressure was so high -because of the long drop- that the valves looked like tiny hose squirters every time the birds pecked on them . It works much better now with the decreased pressure from the small bucket. I can also add Apple Cider Vinegar directly to the Tidy cat bucket weekly where It was nearly impossible with the big drum. I feel very lucky that I found the uniseal at my local Ace hardware store, the store on the other side of town doesn't carry them.



I really like this type bucket because of the flat sides and it has a hinged top that works real well. Get all your friends that have indoor cats to use this product and save the buckets for you. I'm searching all my friends storage areas for old buckets.

 

[rawthang]

I made the watering system out of PVC Pipe and a 15 Gallon Bucket from work. The Samples I saw online had the nipples coming directly out of a straight PVC Pipe. This is the cheapest but not necessary the best way in my opinion. The reason I don't think it the best are 2 minor reasons. 1) Mounting this on the side of the cage limits the chicken's access to the nipple. 2) PVC pipe is round and when you drill multiple holes, chances are they will not be in a straight line.

I ran my PVC across the cage on the outside. I cut the pipe and put "T" fittings where I wanted the Nipples. I ran a 6" Pipe from the "T" into the cage. I drilled end caps and put the Nipple on them. I did not have to Glue these sections. I installed a removable screw cap on the end of the Main PVC Feed Line so I can fill water bottles and drain for winter. I finished it over the weekend and it was easy to build and looks great. The chickens are not drinking out of it yet. I am going to remove the other sources of water per all the suggestions I have read.

If I were to do it again, I would modify it just a little more. I would drill the End of the End Cap instead of the side like I did. I would then put a 90 Elbow on the end of the pipe coming off the "T". This would allow me to be able to adjust the height of the nipples much easier. I would also raise the height of my water supply and the pipe that feeds the nipples. Next year when I get some new chicks, I intend to modify some of the watering stations using this method to lower the height suitable for the smaller birds.

 

[Simonb]

My husband just made one for me! He bought a 50 quart ice chest and a fountain pump and a 25 gallon stock tank heater. Used PVC to pump the water through and added 4 nipples for me. I just removed the external water sources. I'm soooo excited! It will be clean, fresh, won't freeze and all I'll need to do it keep water in the ice chest. He also put a trough to catch drips made out of plastic gutter. I can't wait to see them using it!!!

 

[rascojustin]

yes, rich i used my existing water supply to the barn ,siphoned a pvc line to a half inch valve,suppling a toilet float with water,and a half outlet to an one inch pvc suppling the chickens with water,as for the toilet float you are going to need to buy a 1 inch inner diameter flat washer for the bottom side of the bucket, also try to cut the precise for a tight fit,then put a layer of clear silicone on both sides but let it dry for about ten to fifteen minutes ,this acts as another gasket when the equipment is installed and tighten .

 

[mumseyjulia]

I have recently made a nipple waterer with the nipples set into a PVC pipe and by a T piece into a hole in a 20l container with a lid ( an old sherry container from a local store) In fact 2 nipples are dripping all the time BUT the hens will not use it. Today the dish waterer was empty and they were thirsty and the nipples were still dripping . They had not laid so had been thirsty for a while. Had a bad day yesterday losing a lilac guinea fowl mum and 17 Keets , probably a fox .

 

[patsgirls]

How far off the ground does a nipple waterer need to be ?????? My chickens just don't seem to be getting the hang of it !! Any suggestions ?????

 

[AlHawk]

How far off the ground does a nipple waterer need to be ?????? My chickens just don't seem to be getting the hang of it !! Any suggestions ?????

I started my chicks with a nipple waterer the day I got them. I keep the nipple a little higher than head high to the shortest chicken. The tallest have to bend down a bit and the shortest reaches up a bit. When they first came home I took each one of them and tapped their beak on the nipple and they got it right away.