Watering System?

[12Chicksand1Lady]

What kind of set up do you have?

I currently have one that screws onto a jar. It is a pain in the butt to get undone!

I was looking into either the nipples or an automatic cup what do you use that is easy?

 

[northeastDad]

I use the smaller plastic ones for chicks or if I have a lot of chicks I’ll use the bigger gallon plastic one . Both are easy to use and clean

 

[blackdog043]

For the first week, I use the same chick waterer that you have. Then I introduce a horizontal nipple waterer. After 3 weeks most of the chicks use the nipples, so I take away the chick waterer and the rest catch on quick. I only use horizontal nipples for my waterers.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Dispenses on demand so water stays fresh & clean

 

[Shezadandy]

Just about to build a new one. Here's some wisdom from what turned into problems.

It's tempting to put poultry cups right into the 5 gallon bucket (or whatever) but eventually - the plastic will crack - pick that bucket up when there's too much water- and it will distort the shapes and voila! Leaking bucket.

My new idea I'm going to try in my brand new coop will still consist of a 5 gallon bucket.

I'm going to use 3/4" PVC and Uniseals for the 3/4" PVC - and kind of like spokes on a wheel, I'm going to put around 6 Uniseals in the bucket, then do about 4-6" of PVC pipe, and then will screw the poultry cups directly into the PVC where they last a LOT longer with many fewer problems. I've had way too many leaks with screwing the poultry cups into the 5 gallon bucket. I wish they'd make the horse-grade buckets with secure lids - that plastic is thick enough to reliably hold a poultry cup- but the lack of a top defies the purpose, so I'm stuck with the typical 5 gallon bucket.

In case you're not familiar with Uniseals, they are magical devices that you push into a 1 1/4" round hole in a bucket - no caulk - no tape- no nothing - stick the pipe (3/4", 1/2" - I like 3/4" because it allows for more water flow) through the center of the Uniseal … and it holds the water back. The only leak I've had was (drumroll) …. the bucket cracking around the Uniseal from me picking it up while it was heavy too many times.

Each "spoke" will have a ball valve on the end so I can empty the bucket in a hurry, and will have 2-3 poultry cups per spoke.

Probably not a great description but I'll take pictures once I'm done with it.

 

[12Chicksand1Lady]

For the first week, I use the same chick waterer that you have. Then I introduce a horizontal nipple waterer. After 3 weeks most of the chicks use the nipples, so I take away the chick waterer and the rest catch on quick. I only use horizontal nipples for my waterers.
View attachment 1733968

View attachment 1733971

Thank you! I seen these on amazon. It was like pack of 50, so i think i will be trying these out first.

View attachment 1733977

Dispenses on demand so water stays fresh & clean

I also seen this one on amazon. It's been a toss up on which one to get. Thank you for sharing! I will probably try these if the nibblers are not what i hope for.

Just about to build a new one. Here's some wisdom from what turned into problems.

It's tempting to put poultry cups right into the 5 gallon bucket (or whatever) but eventually - the plastic will crack - pick that bucket up when there's too much water- and it will distort the shapes and voila! Leaking bucket.

My new idea I'm going to try in my brand new coop will still consist of a 5 gallon bucket.

I'm going to use 3/4" PVC and Uniseals for the 3/4" PVC - and kind of like spokes on a wheel, I'm going to put around 6 Uniseals in the bucket, then do about 4-6" of PVC pipe, and then will screw the poultry cups directly into the PVC where they last a LOT longer with many fewer problems. I've had way too many leaks with screwing the poultry cups into the 5 gallon bucket. I wish they'd make the horse-grade buckets with secure lids - that plastic is thick enough to reliably hold a poultry cup- but the lack of a top defies the purpose, so I'm stuck with the typical 5 gallon bucket.

In case you're not familiar with Uniseals, they are magical devices that you push into a 1 1/4" round hole in a bucket - no caulk - no tape- no nothing - stick the pipe (3/4", 1/2" - I like 3/4" because it allows for more water flow) through the center of the Uniseal … and it holds the water back. The only leak I've had was (drumroll) …. the bucket cracking around the Uniseal from me picking it up while it was heavy too many times.

Each "spoke" will have a ball valve on the end so I can empty the bucket in a hurry, and will have 2-3 poultry cups per spoke.

Probably not a great description but I'll take pictures once I'm done with it.

Shezadandy, please post about it when it is finished. I would love to see what you have done.

 

[pintail_drake2004]

I have the horizontal nipples on a 5 gallon bucket. the chicks learn to use it quickly and it saves so much time later on with not having to clean out watering trays

 

[blackdog043]

Thank you! I seen these on amazon. It was like pack of 50, so i think i will be trying these out first.

Make sure they are horizontal nipples, not vertical. 50 pack sounds like vertical.

 

[12Chicksand1Lady]

So i got the horizontal ones and my chicks won't take to it.
We tried making the chicks to peck them and still they dont like it. Had it set up about a week now. Do you think if i put some kind of food on it would make them understand??? lol

 

[rosemarythyme]

So i got the horizontal ones and my chicks won't take to it.
We tried making the chicks to peck them and still they dont like it. Had it set up about a week now. Do you think if i put some kind of food on it would make them understand??? lol

How old are the chicks? If they're too small they may have a very hard time pushing the toggle hard enough to dispense water.

I switched my birds to horizontal nipples last fall (they were using vertical before) and it still took some of them several months to really get the hang of it, even though it was the only water source. I'd pick them up and use their beaks to press against the toggle. Most of them figured it out from that.