Wont use new waterers!

[pherbe]

Our turkeys are about 4 months old. We've had them drinking from buckets in the midst of transitioning to our new house. We are settled now and have finally made our auto waterers with the little cups of water (nipples with cups to catch excess) .. We figured it would make it higher for the turkeys and EASIER to learn how to use.. since they can see the `water... unfortunately they aren't using them!! My husband brought out a bucket mid day just in case and theey went crazy for the water. It is like 105 outside.. We had them free ranging and they'd get water from irrigation, puddles buckets we had in their run (large dog run). We wanted to start supplements in their water too.. the acidified copper, and a vitamin powder (seems like chicken gatorade to me ) So any tips on "training" them to it beyond just cooping them for a few days with the waterer and hoping they find it. I can pick them up occasionally but they tend to me more traumatized then anything else. There are 3 toms and a hen but nobody is aggressive (yet). Thanks for the input!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I don't think you will have any luck training them to use them, but maybe eventually curiosity will make them check them out, but first they need to get used to something different. Turkeys hate change. I wouldn't restrict their water. I also would make sure you offer clean water without any additives, especially in that kind of heat. I also give my turkeys water pans to stand in when it gets warm.

 

[sarcasm]

I haven't had any luck getting any of my birds to use those water cup things, but the turkeys all went crazy for the nipple waterers because they're shiny metal. We eventually switched to more traditional waterers because the turkeys were young when they started using them and as they grew they continued to just beat up on the metal nipples with full strength.

 

[wamtazlady]

I've never used those cup waterers. When my turkeys were 6 weeks old I moved them to a coop with vertical nipple waterers. They were all using them within a few hours. I've never had to train any birds to use these waterers. They just naturally are curious, peck the thing, and they realize that is the way to get a drink.

 

[DrFeathers]

My chickens love the horizontal water nipples attached to a 5 gal food grade plastic bucket I got at Home Depot for something like 5$. They figured it out quickly and I took out their old waterer once I saw a few using it and the rest followed suit.

5 Horizontal (Side Mount) Poultry Nipples https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JXUAD0K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_npR8iffMsH6RU