Water Problem

[Mrs.SB]

Im fairly new to back yard chickens, this is our second flock. The first flock a pack of wild dogs got all 6 of them we let them free range during the day and when we came home feathers were everywhere. We aren't letting this flock out needless to say. I hate to keep them in their pen but at least they are safe there!

Anyway my problem is they don't seem to like their waterer :/ I have a 5 gallon bucket with 3 of the chicken nipple things on the bottom of it for 5 chickens. I switched to that with this flock because with our first flock we had the regular metal one with the lip around the bottom but the water got SOO dirty and I couldn't stand it!

They always make a little clucking noise when I went out there to check on them but I though it was because I usually took treats or scraps to them so I though they were just expecting something. But yesterday my husband walked to the pen and they were doing the same thing so he took a little container and put water in it and he said they flocked to it and drank like they had never had water before. I don't understand. I REALLY want them to use the bucket with the nipples because it stays clean any ideas?

Thanks!!

 

[Mrs.SB]

Ps. Just went out and we had our first eggs!! Soo excited I tried to share my photo but it won't let me

 

[Mrs.SB]

Anybody?

 

[tweetysvoice]

Some chickens need to be trained to use it. Do they realize that water comes out of it? My thought would be to see if you could rig one up so that it drips a bit (putting a pan or something under to catch the water) and let them watch the water dripping - they might get the idea then. My chickens love to drink water that's dripping from our misters. Wish i could help more.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Have you seen your chickens drinking from the nipple waterer? When we first converted to nipple waterers we were also worried they weren't drinking enough. Just a few hours without water here in the desert can put you out of the chicken-raising business. Just like your chickens, whenever mine found access to a pool of water they drank like they haven't had water in days. So, I measured how much water they drank daily with their original vacuum style waterer and when they only had access to the nipple waterers. Turns out, they drank slightly more from the nipples. They'll always enjoy drinking from pooled water and you can't take that as an indication they aren't getting enough water. Observe your birds, find out if they are drinking from the nipples at all and if you're still worried about them getting enough, measure what they consume and you'll know for sure. Oh, and congratulations on the first egg!

 

[Mrs.SB]

Thanks for the replies! I have seen them drink from it a few times. It seems like they are to curious as to what we are doing when we are out there to be bothered with drinking. We have to fill it a once a week or so. I couldn't evaporate that much could it? It has the lid on it with the little holes on the side for air flow like the directions said... They must drinking because they would have died in the heat we have had lately if they weren't.

I was doing some reading on the breed we have and it said hey were vocial anyways especially before they started laying. So maybe between them liking to "talk" and us usually brinig them somehing when we go out to their pen I was just mistaken it for something wrong. I dunno.. They are black and white checkered. Plymouth rock I believe they were called