Teaching Chickens to Drink from Nipple Waterer

[LoneOak]

Back to the basics------


The number one thing you must do to get your chickens to use them is remove all other sources of water especially the one they have been using the last couple months for their #1 waterer. They are creatures of habit and as long as they can do what they have always done they will not change. Remove their current water, make sure the nipples are at the right height and before the day is over it will be like they have always used them.

 

[CountryChic95]

I have had chickens for years... And procrastinated trying the "nipple water". I finally did it. My point... My chickens have lived for years w/out one. As other posters have stated, removing the other water sources is crucial! I then waited a few hours and the showed some of my friendliest chickens "what to do". No problems here. Happy chicken, happier me!

 

[patsgirls]

Thanks for the info !! I am soooooooooo happy !! My chickens finally figured it out ............. HAPPY ME !!!!!!!!

 

[marie24248]

Some great ideas thanks

 

[oldhen2345]

I have both bantam and standard chickens and would like to use the nipple waterer. Is there any way to put the height so that both can use one? Do I need to put out two separate waterers - one for each size chicken? I have a fount waterer in the coop and one in the middle of the yard and wanted to replace both with nipple waterers, but don't know how many I will need now and how high to place it if I only need one in each spot. Help please.

 

[TalkALittle]

I have both bantam and standard chickens and would like to use the nipple waterer.  Is there any way to  put the height so that both can use one?  Do I need to put out two separate waterers - one for each size chicken?  I have a fount waterer in the coop and one in the middle of the yard and wanted to replace both with nipple waterers, but don't know how many I will need now and how high to place it if I only need one in each spot. Help please.

I switched form an open waterer to horizontal nipples. I have a 5 gallon bucket with three nipples in it for 6 standard sized and 3 bantam hens. I just put a couple bricks in front of one of the nipples and the bantams stand on them to drink from that nipple.

 

[madibhai]

My chickens were using the nipples for a year almost. Then abruptly they stopped. They would come out of the coop and run towards any area of water they could find and drink like crazy. So we started to put the water in the coop again and they would drink it like crazy. So now the water never goes down from the chicken nipple bucket. Don't know what to do. Are you guys suggesting that I just take out all of the other water options and see what happens?

 

[Nupe]

Chickens are social critters. What you might be witnessing is an unscheduled social event rather than extreme thirst. If they want water, they know where to find it. Like most critters, they prefer their water with a little "flavor" and will go for that first and if one drinks, they all have to try it out.

If you absolutely want them drinking from the bucket then yes, take out all other sources.

 

[HCB]

My chickens were using the nipples for a year almost. Then abruptly they stopped. They would come out of the coop and run towards any area of water they could find and drink like crazy. So we started to put the water in the coop again and they would drink it like crazy. So now the water never goes down from the chicken nipple bucket. Don't know what to do. Are you guys suggesting that I just take out all of the other water options and see what happens?

I know this a few months back... That said, is it possible the nipple watering system got contaminated? Some change in the water source? Maybe some bacteria have started to grow in the system? For my goats and sheep, the recommendation was 2 tbsp (tablespoons, not teaspoons) for 50 gallons of water of un-scented, laundry bleach. It does great for curbing algae growth and keeping the water troughs clean. Now, in our chicken waterers we add a couple or three drops of the laundry bleach in the quart waterers and about 5 to 7 drops in the 5 quart waterers. I found this thread while designing a recirculating, heated nipple waterer; I plan to add a little bleach to it, as well. Yes, it's supposed to be a sealed system...but...stuff happens.

HTH.

--HC

 

[PingoBags]

I know this a few months back... That said, is it possible the nipple watering system got contaminated? Some change in the water source? Maybe some bacteria have started to grow in the system? For my goats and sheep, the recommendation was 2 tbsp (tablespoons, not teaspoons) for 50 gallons of water of un-scented, laundry bleach. It does great for curbing algae growth and keeping the water troughs clean. Now, in our chicken waterers we add a couple or three drops of the laundry bleach in the quart waterers and about 5 to 7 drops in the 5 quart waterers. I found this thread while designing a recirculating, heated nipple waterer; I plan to add a little bleach to it, as well. Yes, it's supposed to be a sealed system...but...stuff happens.

HTH.

--HC

If your recirculating heated nipple system blocks the light, which would be very easy to do with that type of setup, it should avoid algae growth altogether.

My waterer is the same, recirculating heated nipple system, I also do a lot of hydroponics.
If I have no light leaks, there is never any growths.