Vertical (gravity) vs. horizontal (spring loaded) watering nipples

[Chris09]

WOW!! Where'd you find a 250 amp one?? Tell me, tell me, I'd like to get one that size, too!

You can get them at TSC there basically a bird bath heater.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/farm-innovators-multi-use-utility-deicer-250-watt

 

[Leahs Mom]

That's not amp - it's watt.

That's why I like the aquarium heater. Only 25 or 50 watt depending on the size of the bucket you use it with.

 

[Chris09]

That's not amp - it's watt.

That's why I like the aquarium heater. Only 25 or 50 watt depending on the size of the bucket you use it with.

They make a low watt 45-50 bird bath heater also.

The problem with aquarium heaters is that they 1 have a glass surrounding and 2 not designed to be used in a environment where the room temperature is below a certain point.
Chances are that a little aquarium heater runs longer and uses more electric in a season than a stock tank heater at twice the wattage.

 

[iwiw60]

You can get them at TSC there basically a bird bath heater.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/farm-innovators-multi-use-utility-deicer-250-watt

Thanks a bunch for the link...bookmarked for my fall purchases...I have one more bucket to construct before winter hits...thanks again!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
I thought the same things. Then I consulted with a pond fish seller. He told me that they used them outdoors in the ponds in their displays for years with no problems. He said the companies won't guarantee them, but that he's used them because they provided the best heating solution for his setup.

When I use them, I have them on a thermocube so they don't come on unless the temp is below 35 degrees.

But...You have a point that they probably do run more anyhow because they will try to bring the water up into the 60's whereas the pond heaters will only bring them up to about 45 F.

 

[Chickens R Us]

WOW!! Where'd you find a 250 amp one?? Tell me, tell me, I'd like to get one that size, too!

. I saw the 250 watt at Amazon.com it is a Farm Innovators type.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Tractor Supply, Rural King, Big R all carry the 250 watt bucket and pond deicers. I purchased mine at Tractor Supply.

 

[jessthemess]

I am in Canada and I'm having trouble sourcing the horizontal nipples. Can anyone help? I would like to buy 5. I looked up Rich386 on ebay and he only ships to the US

 

[David1998]

I am in Canada and I'm having trouble sourcing the horizontal nipples. Can anyone help? I would like to buy 5. I looked up Rich386 on ebay and he only ships to the US

I'm not sure if they ship to Canada either, but Allbout Chickens has them on their website and also on Amazon.

 

[pdirt]

An update to my original post of this thread...having had used both vertical and horizontal nipples for the past several months, through freezing and 100+F temps.

The horizontal nipples have my vote except on one front...cost. Here's a chart based upon my own experience, your mileage may vary:

VERTICAL NIPPLES HORIZONTAL NIPPLES
Leaks? no no
Wastes water? yes no
Birds per nipple 10-12 6-8
Natural drinking posture not really yes
Easy bucket install? moderate difficulty very easy
My cost per nipple $1/ea $2/ea

It seems to me that each bird is able to get more water more quickly out of the vertical nipples and that they tend to prefer those nipples over the horizontal ones, I presume for that reason. With the horizontal nipples, each bird spends more time at the nipple (or more frequent trips to it) to get enough water. With 55 birds, we have 3 buckets and a tiny pond. One bucket has 3 vertical nipples in it and the other two buckets have 2 horizontal nipples. There is a very tiny yard pond (about 3' diameter) 50 yards away from the buckets that they frequent quite a bit, too.

The actual cost of an all-horizontal nipple setup would be much more than a vertical one. Because not only are the nipples themselves twice as expensive but it it requires almost double the number of nipples to water the same amount of birds. But since I have to haul water from 60 yards away every time, I like the convenience of filling the buckets every two weeks instead of every 5-7 days. If we had a water line next to our coops, I would just install an auto-fill system.

If I did have an auto-fill system of buckets and the buckets were not inside the run, I would probably just go with the vertical nipples, because I would need fewer nipples and the cost would be much less. It *is* only a few bucks, of course, but why spend more than necessary?

As for the chunk of ice that builds underneath the vertical nipple bucket in the winter, since the run is filled with dried leaves, hay and wood shavings, I have found that I can just use a pitchfork to pry up the chunk of ice and toss it outside the run.

One more added benefit of the horizontal nipples: Since the birds are not dripping water all over their faces and breasts (like the vertical nipples do), they stay dry. No biggie in summer but in winter I'd hate for them to fall ill due to wet feathers and skin. We did lose two chickens early spring to unknown causes.

This fall, we will butcher most of our chickens and keep 15-20 for laying and breeding stock, so I suspect the two horizontal nipple buckets, with 2 nipples each, will be more than enough to keep them full, since I now I have two heat devices to keep the water thawed.