My sweet chicks ... love you girls but you're not smart. They are not figuring out the horizontal nipples. I heard frantic squawking this afternoon - went in to check on them in the brooder box. @Purple Rose and I had to leave super early this morning, I don't think she'd refilled the water dish, so they were with the horizontal nipples all day. And they were all desperate and the level in the water bottle hadn't gone down at all. I put water in the dish and they were all drinking with abandon. I just do not think they're gonna GET it. So now I'm looking into what other waterer to put in the coop.
how old are they and what breeds? my cx could peck hard enough to activate the horizontal nipples at a week old.. the layers would drink from what they left until they were a few weeks old
Almost 4 weeks. One EasterEgger, one black Australorp, one red sex link, one maybe white cochin, maybe bantam white cochin.
I actually pecked the nipple with their beak so they got a drink from it. At 4 weeks they should be strong enough but maybe not. Also make sure the waterer isn't sealed tight. It need air to be able to escape for the water to come out.
How high up are the nipples? They should be at least back height, even a little higher is fine. I've never had a problem getting chicks to use them, I have had chicks using them at 2 weeks old.
I love horizontal nipples. I will also admit that I have never used them for chicks. Have used vertical nipples starting at about 4 weeks. I have read where the chicks can use nipples at a younger age. Just never tried it. By the time they are 4 months old they are using the horizontal nipples. By then then know that poking something red means water so the transition from vertical to horizontal nipples is smooth.
@Purple Rose said that the higher one is at the height of the tallest chick's back. She did go poke holes into the lid of the water bottle, hopefully that will help.
I've had two batches of chicks figure out how to use the horizontal nipples on day one. We took away the water dish on day 3 and they've been good. They don't have to peck them, they typically use their beaks to push the metal thing over and water comes out. Once you get one of them using it, they all will figure it out.