Tips on using automatic water nipples with day old chicks?

[BorregoMike]

i have 25 chicks coming soon and I want to start them off with the nipples right away. I have a plan to make a waterer with PVC pipe. Should the nipples face straight down or horizontal? How high should they be? Head height? Do the require much force to work? Should I gently push each chick’s beak against the nipple to train it? Looking for suggestions. Thanks in advance

 

[Criticalicious]

Those are vertical ones, so they would go straight down. They require minimal force to work, and they can leak a lot. Once one bird is drinking from it, they will follow by example. The horizontal ones leak less but are harder for day old babies to use. Generally, the nipples should be even with their backs.

 

[blackdog043]

Vertical nipples need to hang straight down. They also tend to leak, keep an eye on the bedding so it doesn't get to wet.

Depending on where your located, vertical nipples will freeze in the winter. I thought I would add that, since your thinking of making a PVC waterer. If you add your general location to your profile it will always show in your avatar. This helps us to give better answers where the climate may effect the answer given.

 

[BorregoMike]

Thanks. So it sounds like maybe a good idea would be to use the vertical ones to start and then switch to the horizontals when the chicks are a little older?

I don’t need to worry much about freezing, we get maybe one or two nights in a typical winter that drop below freezing for a few hours. Southern California desert.

 

[blackdog043]

Thanks. So it sounds like maybe a good idea would be to use the vertical ones to start and then switch to the horizontals when the chicks are a little older?

Yes, if you really want to use the vertical nipples. A vent hole near the top of the waterer is needed also, so the water will come out.
I use a chick waterer for 2 weeks then introduce a horizontal nipple waterer. I made a brooder waterer with a gallon pitcher.

 

[BorregoMike]

That looks great, and very easy. Thanks for the pic.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you are using the vertical ones, make sure to install them exactly vertical, and keep the drilled hole SMALL. If you have to struggle to install it then it's tight enough. I haven't had any leakage issues.