- Jun 28, 2017
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It's very easy to get peeps to use chicken nipples. I put a soda bottle with a chicken nipple in the cap, suspended in the brooder. You'll need to make a pin hole in the bottom of the bottle. The bottle is upside down, nipple hanging down. I put a cat bowl filled with pine litter below it (to catch the drips so everything doesn't get soggy.) The bottle should be high enough so they have to stretch up a little to drink the water. And raised as they grow.
I do this with 3 day old peeps.
I show the peeps what it is by tapping the silver thing so water drips. Then I take the boldest peep and tap her beak on the silver thing so water drips on her beak. I put her down and watch to make sure they get it. Usually the bold one will run away at first but circle back and try it herself. For fun. Then the rest of them will want to try it too. In a half hour they are done and ready to go with clean water for the rest of their brooder time. I take away any other water bowl as soon as I see them all drink. It's really fun to watch this.
When they get a little older, I replace the cat bowl below the water bottle with a tray with clumps of grass and weeds (and probably bugs and maybe worms). They love this. And their water drips water the grass for a few days. It will get ripped up, so you'll have to get more clumps every few days.
When they go out into the run, they will easily use what ever type of nipple is there. Just tap it a couple of times to show them it's water.
I do this with 3 day old peeps.
I show the peeps what it is by tapping the silver thing so water drips. Then I take the boldest peep and tap her beak on the silver thing so water drips on her beak. I put her down and watch to make sure they get it. Usually the bold one will run away at first but circle back and try it herself. For fun. Then the rest of them will want to try it too. In a half hour they are done and ready to go with clean water for the rest of their brooder time. I take away any other water bowl as soon as I see them all drink. It's really fun to watch this.
When they get a little older, I replace the cat bowl below the water bottle with a tray with clumps of grass and weeds (and probably bugs and maybe worms). They love this. And their water drips water the grass for a few days. It will get ripped up, so you'll have to get more clumps every few days.
When they go out into the run, they will easily use what ever type of nipple is there. Just tap it a couple of times to show them it's water.
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