How to train your bird to use nipples ►

1. Remove all other sources of water. Place the new nipple waterer in the old waterer’s location.

2. Bring a bird’s beak directly to the nipple waterer (see photo at right) and flick the nipple. You may have to activate the nipple with the bird’s beak to demonstrate the new water source.

3. Place a sunflower seed in the drip trough. When the bird pecks at the seed, it will discover the new water source.

4. Use a red laser pointer to direct chickens to the nipple. Similar to house cats, our chickens will chase and follow the red light. (This was inadvertently discovered by our photo dept and is now our go-to method for getting camera-shy birds to cooperate.)

You don’t have to train every bird in the flock. Just a few will do. Once the first chickens begin drinking, others will follow. We haven’t had to do this process with day-old chicks (youth has its benefits, no bad habits to break).

• Provides water for up to 10-20 chicks or 1-2 adult chickens
• Capacity: 0.26 gallon (1 liter)

• Provides water for up to 26 chickens
• Capacity: 2.25 gallon

• Provides water for up to 35 chickens
• Capacity: 3 gallon