Will chicks use poultry nipples?

[WyoHens]

I have two small batches of chicks that just hatched, one chick is now 3 weeks old and two chicks are 2 weeks old. Chicks are doing great and they're mimicking moms and learning to scratch, eat, drink, etc. However momma hens keep scratching and filling the elevated waterer with dirt so I swapped it out with my preferred enclosed bucket with horizontal poultry nipples (not vertical nipples). With horizontal poultry nipples height isn't so much a concern like with vertical nipples (which chicks wouldn't be able to reach) so momma hens and chicks are both able to reach horizontal nipples. My concern however is it's really hot right now (for where I live) and I want to make sure young chicks are capable of using horizontal nipples. I can see no reason why not and the chicks are learning fast and doing everything moms are doing but during this heat may not be the right time to introduce a new waterer to the chicks. Hens are proficient at using the horizontal nipples so chicks should learn quick. Thoughts anyone? Are 2 and 3 week old chicks too small/young to use horizontal poultry nipples?

 

[CapricornFarm]

Why take a chance, give them both.

 

[abbydmac]

I swapped out our waterer for the horizontal nipple waterer this week, our chicks are 3.5 weeks old and have taken to it fine. I do have a small bottle with the horizontal nipples, so they have their own and don't have to compete with the bigger chickens to get water. I did keep an eye on them to make sure all 6 had figured it out. Everyone was drinking fine within an hour.

 

[Bladeguy]

Cannot speak to horizontal nipples.....are they harder to push in than vertical? I've done a number of batches of broilers in August and gave them nothing but vertical nipples for water from day one, no issues at all. Don't know if that helps you or not.

 

[PeachLily]

I have two small batches of chicks that just hatched, one chick is now 3 weeks old and two chicks are 2 weeks old. Chicks are doing great and they're mimicking moms and learning to scratch, eat, drink, etc. However momma hens keep scratching and filling the elevated waterer with dirt so I swapped it out with my preferred enclosed bucket with horizontal poultry nipples (not vertical nipples). With horizontal poultry nipples height isn't so much a concern like with vertical nipples (which chicks wouldn't be able to reach) so momma hens and chicks are both able to reach horizontal nipples. My concern however is it's really hot right now (for where I live) and I want to make sure young chicks are capable of using horizontal nipples. I can see no reason why not and the chicks are learning fast and doing everything moms are doing but during this heat may not be the right time to introduce a new waterer to the chicks. Hens are proficient at using the horizontal nipples so chicks should learn quick. Thoughts anyone? Are 2 and 3 week old chicks too small/young to use horizontal poultry nipples?

 

[PeachLily]

So it's been a few weeks since your post and I'm wondering how you made out? My 3 chicks are 2 1/2 weeks now raised by a hen who knows the horizontal waterer. But the chicks are drinking out of the little bit that remains in the cup part after mama pecks. I have seen them put their beaks to the side of the little silver post in the nipple, but they have yet to peck at it themselves. It's been over a week already and I'm surprised they haven't figured it out yet.

 

[Bladeguy]

I just integrated four six week pullets who never used nipples in with 9 two week chicks who were using nipples. The pullets would not use the nipples as long as I left their old waterer in there, so I took it out, and they started using the nipples. Chickens are a lot smarter than we give them credit for.

 

[Wawa Coffee]

My chicks used poultry nipples from the day after they hatched and haven't used any other waterer. It took them a few minutes to figure it out but not much longer than that.

Good luck!