The nipple waterer is an integral part of providing your poultry with a fresh and convenient water source. The nipple works like a ball valve system. When not in use, the water head pressure keeps the valve closed. When a chicken or hen uses there beak to move the nipple, water droplets will flow along the stem and provided the chicken with water.
The following instructions will show you how to build a vertical waterer. This waterer can be used in a simple or complex watering system. Through a series of PVC piping, you can connect your waterer to a 5 gallon bucket, small holding tank or a water hose. Be careful in your design, some water hoses are not appropriate for this application due to the leaching of chemicals.
- Supplies Needed
- ASC # 82518 - Poultry Nipple Waterer
- ASC # 10947 – 3/4 Inch Schedule 40 PVC (Length to be determine by number of nipples)
- ASC # 24669 – 3/4 Inch PVC Cap
- ASC # 24656 - PVC adapter (3/4 Inch slip to ¾ Inch pipe thread)
- ASC # 85802 – Brass Swivel GHT Fitting
- ASC # 22061 – Titeseal
- ASC # 21810 – PVC Cement
- ASC # 11805 – 3/8 Inch Drill Bit
- ASC # 27091 – PVC Pipe Cutter
Step 1 – Determine the number of poultry waterers you would like to install. For us, we used 7 nipple waters. Each nipple waterer was spaced 6 inches apart for ease of access for each chicken. There was also 6 additional inches of pipe on each end of the waterer for mounting and connections. The total length of the PVC pipe that we used was 48 inches or 4 ft. You can customize your watering system to fit your poultry needs.
Step 2 – Using a 3/8 inch drill bit, drill holes in the PVC pipe. Again, we chose to space our nipple waterers 6 inches apart.
Step 3 – Insert the rubber grommets from the nipple waterers in each hole.
Step 4 – Insert the chicken nipples into the holes with the preset grommets. We used a small socket to help us insert the nipples without hurting our hands or damaging the waterer
Step 5 – Using PVC cement, glue the 3/4 inch end cap and the 3/4 inch PVC adaptor on opposite ends.
Step 6 – Connect the brass swivel GFT fitting onto the 3/4 inch pipe thread. This is the adaptor you need to connect your waterer to a hose or other watering source. For a tighter seal, we used a bit of Titeseal to form a better waterproof seal.
Step 7 – Mount or suspend your poultry waterer. Make sure the hose fitting is located closest to your water source for added convenience. The waterer should be mounted at a height assessable to your poultry. A proper height will allow your poultry to straighten their necks while drinking. If you have smaller poultry, provide stepping stones to allow them to reach the waterer.
