watering questions

[3 NH reds]

At the end of May I am getting 6 white Turkeys . I have been reading and it sounds as if they need everything clean. I was thinking of using the nipple watering set up but I worry that being the white turkeys they might not use it, I have heard about them being quite stupid. Also any advice for a first time turkey owner would be great.

 

[jackietheturkeylover]

ok, turkeys are only as stupid as you make them. everyone doesn't understand that. yes i know that some breeds of turkeys ARE slightly dumb but they are still smart. so anyway yes they need fresh water every day so they aren't exposed to viruses & stuff. you CAN teach a turkey to use a water bottle for hamsters (you know those things? i don't know what they are called)

 

[ivan3]

Kinda/sorta useful in commercial settings: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/poulsci/conference_proceedings/turkey_days/2005/russell_2005.pdf

Maybe a member who actually uses nipple system with turks will chime in.

 

[TurkeyOutlaw]

I'm a total newbie, so I don't really know anything, but I hung a nipple waterer in my brooder when my heritage turkeys were about 4 days old. They went nuts for it. I didn't even have to show them how to use it. The black spanish turkeys hit it first and everyone else followed.

I know this pic doesn't show the waterer, but I'm so in love with my first turkeys that I had to post a pic.

The nipple I use is called the Avian Aqua Miser, and I ordered from Walden Effect Homesteading:
http://www.avianaquamiser.com/chickenwaterers/

 

[frank53061]

I have 17 Red Bourbon Turkey Polts over 3 weeks old and just 2 hours ago I put a 1 gallon grape juice jug that I saved and put two chicken water nipples in the bottom and after about 1 minute they were drinking from it.
if you watch your money and have a drill you can make one your self in 5 minutes or less.
Go to Ebay and look for .
X10 CHICKEN WATERER SCREW IN POULTRY NIPPLES DRINKER for $9.50 free shipping.

I also use a 5 gallon bucket I bought for less than $2.00 at Lowe's put 4 nipples in the bottom for my chickens and will make another one very soon.

I dont have the money to buy the ready made ones that are over priced anyway.

 

[3 NH reds]

So this sounds like the way to go. Something that can be made at home and works well is good for me. End of may I will pick up the 6 Broad Breasted whites.Building the 8-10 coop now and of course it has to rain on my days off work.

 

[3 NH reds]

The waterer does work out. The young turkey were the 1st to learn how to use it ( turkeys are dumb?) my ranger chicks are using it now . I had to remove the outside water trough for the egg layers only leaving them the nipple waterer and the water in the coop and now I have trained the egg layers as well. I pan to use a 50 gallon drum and pipe so that I can provide ware to all 3 coops.

 

[Ladypoison]

I used a Rabbit water bottle to water them they learned fast how to use it.