Horizontal Poultry Nipple Drinkers – European Made – High Quality

The Horizontal Nipples that Top Knot Poultry Supplies have on offer are of high quality and made in Europe. These are not cheap Chinese copies, they are the real deal.

They are perhaps the most effective and efficient way to provide water for your poultry.

No more washing and scrubbing your drinker lids and bottles.

Easy to install and your birds will take to them very quickly.

The drinkers features –

• Leak free, drip free design
• Keeps water clean and healthy.
• Suitable for young chicks from 2 weeks old
• NO HANGING NECESSARY as this unique design allows buckets and containers to rest on the ground or on stand.
• Fast and easy installation with any 9.5mm drill bit
• Installation tool available if required
• They operate from as low as -1 degrees celcius

IMPORTANT – We recommend allocating 1 nipple for every 3 birds so everyone can access water in hot weather. More water points is always better (especially in large flocks) so dominant chickens/poultry don’t control or block access to those that are lower down in the pecking order.

INSTALLATION

They are so easy to install into any container of your choice!

1. Mark your container where you are planning to drill the hole and check how it is positioned in the coop for easy flock access and adjust if necessary. Holes should be at least 3cm from the bottom of any container to allow easy access.
2. Just drill a simple hole using a standard 9mm drill bit and ensure that the hole is clean without scraps of container plastic/metal to get in the way.
3. If you really want to, you can use plumbers tape around the screw-in section to ensure a really good seal (although we haven’t done this and don’t have any issues).
4. Screw nipple into the hole approximately 80%. They should not be flush mounted as this can crack the container and cause leaking.
5. For really easy installation, attach the Installation Tool into a drill and you will be done in seconds.
6. Add the lid and check there is no air vacuum. If there is, add a small hole to the lid to allow some air flow.
   

   SETUP

   Nipple bucket should be placed on blocks so nipples are at the birds neck level. Be sure bucket has been filled completely, and vent holes in the lid are unclogged. I prefer to place the bucket in the run the day before training, so the birds have time to get used to it and no longer be afraid of its presence.

   Use a few 20L buckets on blocks on opposite ends of the run, so dominate and submissive birds can both drink at the same time, as can younger and older birds. This provides a stress free watering location for all. We also have a bucket outside of the run so birds free ranging have a convenient place for a drink.

   TRAINING

   Nipples are intended to be used with birds 2+ weeks old, in most cases. For birds such as quail, pheasant or other smaller birds, wait until they are old enough to be able to press the nipple pin.

   When ready to train your birds, remove all other water sources. This is critical, and the #1 reason for training failures. If all other water sources are not removed, birds will have no motivation to learn to use the nipples.

   Birds are naturally attracted to the nipples red color. Press the pin, allowing the water to flow from the nipple. Try this several times while birds are watching. Continue this until one bird drinks, and others will then follow. If birds do not drink after several minutes of pressing the pin, repeat in 30 minutes. Do not return birds usual water source between training sessions. Birds will often figure it out on their own within 10 minutes of the first training session.

   In some cases, you may need to gently press a birds beak unto the nipple until it flows water. I have found this to be necessary with quail. This is similar to dipping a chicks beak into their water when moving them to the brooder for the first time.

   You may also find success in guiding birds to drink with a laser pointer. As the birds chase and peck at the laser pointer, have the birds follow the dot to the drinker. When they peck the nipples, they should quickly figure out how to use them.