A HUGE thank you to the folks at Heritage Acres Market for sending us their horizontal side mount chicken waterer nipples! We used their product to make an actual waterer for one of our friends.
Check out our video review on our YouTube channel. We actually make a chicken waterer for our friends using Heritage Acres Market’s product. Since we are still kinda new on YouTube, can you help us out by hitting that subscribe button!
The chicken waterer nipples from Heritage Acres Market, in my opinion, are the best waterer nipples you can buy. They are made from a drip free, leak free design and they come with a lifetime leak-free guarantee. Plus Heritage Acres Market has several years of 5 star reviews!
What Are Chicken Waterer Nipples?
Chicken waterer nipples are sometimes called poultry nipples. It is basically a small valve that allows water to flow out. In the picture of Heritage Acres Market’s nipple above, do you see the little metal rod? Once a chicken pecks at that rod, water will flow out of the waterer and into the little cup.
Making a chicken waterer with these nipples makes it possible to have a fully enclosed waterer for your backyard flock. This makes your life SOOO MUCH easier by keeping the water clean and fresh. Plus you can use a large container, like a five gallon bucket, for a waterer. Doing this, you will not have to fill up your chicken’s waterer as often, making your “all ready too long” chore list a little bit shorter.
Types Of Chicken Waterer Nipples
Bottom Mount Chicken Waterer Nipples
These chicken waterer nipples attach to the bottom of your waterer container. I used these with my first DIY chicken waterer. They worked great, for awhile, but then they started to leak. I do not know why they do but I have read a lot of people having the same experience.
Besides the eventual leaking, the biggest downside was not being able to set the waterer down on the ground. Our water connection was not close enough to the chicken coop so we would have to carry the bucket to the hose. Since the nipples were on the bottom, you had to hold it while you filled it.
Side Mount Waterer Cups
These waterer nipples are a step up. The chickens peck at the yellow lever which releases water into the cups. I have heard of less leaking with these vs the bottom mount nipples. The biggest complaint I have with these cups is that they get dirty.
Chickens are always scratching around. Sometimes when they are around the feeder or the waterer you might have a scuffle. This kicks sawdust or straw up into the air and it always seems to land in the cups. So your ladies are not getting the cleanest water and you are stuck spending time cleaning them out.
Heritage Acres’ Horizontal Side Mount
The horizontal side mount chicken water nipples from Heritage Acres Market are a great blend of the other two types of nipples. You avoid the leaking of the bottom mount and the hassle of cleaning the big cups of the other.
These are the perfect solution to keep your chicken’s water clean and fresh. Plus they are the original design, not the imitators. Do not settle for the imitation!
How To Install Chicken Waterer Nipples
Installing these chicken waterer nipples is actually a really straight forward and simple process. If you can drill a hole, you can do this!
I used a small bucket for this waterer because our friends only have two birds. I would recommend using probably a three or even a five gallon bucket. You will want to use one nipple for every 2-3 birds. I would error on the side of having too many.
So let’s go through the steps:
Drill
Drill a hole with a 3/8 drill bit approximately 1″ from the bottom. Drill a hole for each chicken waterer nipple you are installing. To avoid crowding, try and keep the nipples evenly spaced. This is not a science and you do not need to be exact in your placement. Focus more on drilling a straight and clean hole.
Apply Thread Tape
Each waterer nipple needs thread tape or plumber’s tape applied to the threads. This prevents water from leaking out through the threads of the nipple. I would say make sure you get 3-4 wraps on each nipple. Make sure you wrap the tape so that it will not unravel as you tighten the nipple into the waterer container.
Twist
Line the waterer nipple up straight to the waterer container. Twist clockwise until the nipple is in about 80%. Make sure the cups are on the bottom!
This is probably the most important step. You want to make sure the nipples do not get tightened in at an angle as that can lead to future leaking.
Heritage Acres Market has an insert tool available to help assist with installing the nipples into the waterer container. Don’t hesitate to get one if your hands and fingers get tired easily or you want to save some time.
Breather Hole
Drill a hole into the lid of your waterer container. This will allow air to flow into the waterer container and to regulate pressure. It doesn’t matter where that hole goes. If you notice the water flow out of the nipples are limited, you can drill a hole that is a bit bigger.
Done
It really is that easy! Now you just have to set the waterer container so that its around the chicken’s shoulder height and fill it with water.
You will want to tap on the waterer nipples until water comes out (push the metal rod side to side). Chickens are very curious. Do this until a couple catch on and the rest will follow.
So Why Heritage Acres Market?
Family Company
Heritage Acres Market is run by Nicole along with some help from her husband Patrick. Their small farm is home to chickens to turkeys and even bees. It is always great when you can support a small business.
Quality Product
These chicken waterer nipples are a quality product. They are leak-proof and drip free. If you have freezing temperatures in the winter, you can use a bucket heater for the water and your chicken waterer nipple will not freeze. Plus, this was a big one for me, they are not made in China!
Guaranteed
These chicken waterer nipples have a lifetime leak free guarantee. Since you are not dealing with a huge corporation, you know you will get great service if there is ever an issue.
Conclusion
These chicken waterer nipples are a FOR SURE item you need to buy. Let me explain to you why I think that is the case.
What style of chicken waterer are you currently using? If it is the traditional fount chicken waterer, I think you need to make a chicken waterer right away. You honestly will not regret it. I promise!
If you are going to spend the time and money to make one, you want to make sure you get products that work and that work the first time. With bottom mounted nipples, once they start leaking you have to go out and buy a silicone sealant or even just throw that nipple away and hope the next one is better.
The main benefit of having a bucket style waterer is not having to clean out the chickens waterer ALL THE TIME. With the side mounted cups, you will be cleaning those out ALL THE TIME. So it kind of defeats the purpose.
So if you are going to spend the time and money to build a chicken waterer, buy the right product first. It is my opinion that that product is the horizontal side mounted chicken waterer nipples from Heritage Acres Market. They ship worldwide and you are supporting a small family business.