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

[aart]

Same weather here, of course. But since it was pretty cold the last couple nights I wanted to check in and see how it's doing for you.

Are your birds drinking well from them?

15 birds are using about 1/2 gallon a day....
I've seen pretty much every bird using the nipples and they all seem active and healthy so I guess they are getting enough.

 

[pdirt]

Our 23 birds drink about 2/3 to 3/4 of a gallon a day, total for all the birds. I fill up the 5 gallon bucket about once every 5-7 days. The coldest it's gotten here this winter is +2F, no frozen horizontal nipples. I'm using a 250W stock tank deicer and the bucket is wrapped in aluminized bubble wrap. I used the same system, minus the bubble wrap, last winter down to -9F, no freezing issues. The bubble wrap is probably just going to lower our electric bill a bit rather than keep the HN's unfrozen. The water stays I'd guess about 50F in the bucket, I haven't measured it accurately, only with my hand.

The bedding below the waterer stays dry. This is a nice change from the vertical nipple bucket we used part of last winter in which we had huge mounds of ice (and wasted water) piling up underneath the nipple bucket. The vertical nipples didn't leak per se, but they did dribble quite a bit when the chickens were using them. The chickens also got wet and led to some minor frostbite on combs. I had to refill the 3 gallon bucket for 12 birds every about 2-3 days. That means they went through about 3/4 a gallon of water every day for just 12 birds. I'm using the same if not less now for 23 birds.

@aart , yes they have pecked at the bubble wrap a bit more. It's more a cosmetic thing, I think it's functionality is still mostly there. Perhaps I will wrap it with some fabric or duct tape when I get around to it.

 

[iwiw60]

@aart

How is your waterer doing now that it's gotten colder?

Just a "side-note" post to your query. My horizontal waterer with the mini stock tank heaters are really living up to their name. Two nights ago it dropped to FIFTEEN BELOW ZERO and no problems whatsoever. Last night got down to -4....water's flowin' !!! I'm a happy camper!

 

[aart]

Our 23 birds drink about 2/3 to 3/4 of a gallon a day, total for all the birds. I fill up the 5 gallon bucket about once every 5-7 days. The coldest it's gotten here this winter is +2F, no frozen horizontal nipples. I'm using a 250W stock tank deicer and the bucket is wrapped in aluminized bubble wrap. I used the same system, minus the bubble wrap, last winter down to -9F, no freezing issues. The bubble wrap is probably just going to lower our electric bill a bit rather than keep the HN's unfrozen. The water stays I'd guess about 50F in the bucket, I haven't measured it accurately, only with my hand.

The bedding below the waterer stays dry. This is a nice change from the vertical nipple bucket we used part of last winter in which we had huge mounds of ice (and wasted water) piling up underneath the nipple bucket. The vertical nipples didn't leak per se, but they did dribble quite a bit when the chickens were using them. The chickens also got wet and led to some minor frostbite on combs. I had to refill the 3 gallon bucket for 12 birds every about 2-3 days. That means they went through about 3/4 a gallon of water every day for just 12 birds. I'm using the same if not less now for 23 birds.

@aart , yes they have pecked at the bubble wrap a bit more. It's more a cosmetic thing, I think it's functionality is still mostly there. Perhaps I will wrap it with some fabric or duct tape when I get around to it.

I've added reflective bubble wrap also, following your example...and they've pecked it a bit too, doesn't seem to be a continuing issue tho.

I see some drips - damp bedding and some icicles, nothing major tho and I think it's from them 'splashing' when drinking.

Oh and it's using under 1 KWH in 24 hours at the coldest..so less than $0.13 a day.

 

[pdirt]

Quote:
This is good to hear. BYC member @Blooie reported sustained temps of -17F and she had freezing up in her 5 gallon bucket using a stock tank deicer in Wyoming. She said that the water didn't freeze, and the horizontal nipples didn't freeze right away but when the chickens drank, they left a tiny drip in the small indentation some call a "cup". Over several days of such cold temps, each tiny drip built up upon each other and eventually created icicles that grew up and down...up to the nipple part and eventually froze the whole nipple. Perhaps she will chime in and post a link to her report about it, as she explained much better than I just did.

I also wonder about people's different temps. For example, different thermometers, different locations (ie, some have the thermo in the coop, while others have it in the run and yet others like me have it in the garden shed). I wonder if a few degrees could make a big difference when you get into the negative teens with the HN's.

 

[aart]

This is good to hear. BYC member @Blooie reported sustained temps of -17F and she had freezing up in her 5 gallon bucket using a stock tank deicer in Wyoming. She said that the water didn't freeze, and the horizontal nipples didn't freeze right away but when the chickens drank, they left a tiny drip in the small indentation some call a "cup". Over several days of such cold temps, each tiny drip built up upon each other and eventually created icicles that grew up and down...up to the nipple part and eventually froze the whole nipple. Perhaps she will chime in and post a link to her report about it, as she explained much better than I just did.

I also wonder about people's different temps. For example, different thermometers, different locations (ie, some have the thermo in the coop, while others have it in the run and yet others like me have it in the garden shed). I wonder if a few degrees could make a big difference when you get into the negative teens with the HN's.

My thermometer is 2 feet from the water jug, both are inside the coop.

 

[Leahs Mom]

That's exactly what I was concerned about - that some water may stay in the cups and then freeze things.

Just thinking out loud here.
Now...is it possible that if the cups are at a little bit of an angle it could retain water? I know we don't all get them in exactly straight. I was also wondering if they were installed at a very slight angle down...just enough that what may remain in them would be able to drain...that may take care of that problem?

 

[pdirt]

That's exactly what I was concerned about - that some water may stay in the cups and then freeze things.

Just thinking out loud here.
Now...is it possible that if the cups are at a little bit of an angle it could retain water? I know we don't all get them in exactly straight. I was also wondering if they were installed at a very slight angle down...just enough that what may remain in them would be able to drain...that may take care of that problem?

Good thinking, but I wouldn't worry about it unless it becomes a problem. You could also drill a hole in the little "cup" to allow it to drain, or just cut it off all together. Blooie is the first person I've from that has had any problem with the horizontal nipples (with some sort of heater device in the bucket) in freezing temps. I think she said it was -17F for a couple weeks or something. I tried searching for her post about it but can't seem to find it. It might even be on this thread somewhere!

UPDATE: Okay, I finally found the post @Blooie wrote:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/850806/frozen-nipples-finally-working/10#post_14365090

My memory serves me wrong, she simply said it hadn't been above zero for a week and it hit -17F one day. I almost wonder if there was something else at fault with the horizontal nipples in her setup...or some difference in humidity, or what? Because her experience contrasts with with what @iwiw60 has said about their setup working at -15F and -4F. Or maybe it's the way Blooie's chickens use the nipples? Maybe she'll pipe up and give us an update if she has continued to have those low temps and any problems?

 

[ladycat]

You could also drill a hole in the little "cup" to allow it to drain, or just cut it off all together.

That's not something I would do. I'm using the horizontals for my Seramas, and I've watched the way they use it. They push the pin until water drips into the cup, then they drink the water from the cup. I don't think they'd be able to get enough water without the cup. Also, if the cup were cut off or had a hole drilled in it, you'd have to deal with water leaking into the litter.

 

[pdirt]

 
You could also drill a hole in the little "cup" to allow it to drain, or just cut it off all together. 

That's not something I would do. I'm using the horizontals for my Seramas, and I've watched the way they use it. They push the pin until water drips into the cup, then they drink the water from the cup. I don't think they'd be able to get enough water without the cup. Also, if the cup were cut off or had a hole drilled in it, you'd have to deal with water leaking into the litter.

Yeah, you're probably right on that. I figure there are some birds who drink from the cup. Ours don't...they push the pin and drink straight from there.