Chicken drinker cups are suitable for use as chick and chicken drinkers or indeed, with most species of birds, with the exception of ducks. Even beekeepers and guinea pig owners use these drinkers. The Lubing red cup poultry drinkers are ideal where the small amount of drip from straight nipples may cause wet litter.
The 4007 Lubing red cup chook drinkers are suitable for use with up to 15 from day olds, up to 5 weeks. The number of chicks per chicken drinker cup should then be reduced as the birds grow. Pheasants, quail, and other species are quite at home with these simple drinkers. Recommended for use in brooders with small numbers of chicks or for broody hens with chicks.
The 4009 Lubing red cup chicken drinkers are suitable for growing birds from 5 weeks onwards, with 6-8 birds per cup through to adult birds at 3-4 birds per cup. The purge-action of the trigger valve, ensuring better operation when used with poor water quality. Recommended for small groups of growing birds, with adult fowl, and poor water quality.
INSTALLATION
The Bellsouth Cup drinker in plastic container. The most important part is the height of the water above the cup. The ideal height is 300mm (1 foot) from the top of the cup to the top of the water.
SOFTDRINK BOTTLE
- Carefully press the threaded end of the yellow nipple against the hole and turn in a clockwise direction The nipples are designed to self thread into the plastic and self-seal so they need no sealant.
Keep turning until end of the thread is up to the flat part of the lid
- Make a small hole in the bottom of the bottle to allow the air into the bottle.
- Cover the hole with your finger; and fill the bottle with water. Put the cap, with the cup in it, onto the bottle and tighten the cap. Turn the bottle upside down, and hang in the bird house.
When hanging drinker in the house, ensure that the lip of the cup is between back and eye height of the birds.
OTHER CONTAINERS
- Installation is similar to the soft drink bottle, but attention must be paid to ensure the yellow nipple is VERTICAL when the drinker is being used. Also make sure that the maximum height of water is 300mm in the container.
- See also DIY Drinkers for use of Poly fittings to make a range of drinkers.
CLEANING
If the water is clean, very few problems should occur. However if the nipple does get blocked or leak, it is almost always dirt in the nipple.
The silver valve can be removed from the nipple, and the inner valve stem removed.
CAUTION: DO NOT LOSE THE VALVE PARTS. Wash in water and reassemble.
NIPPLE DRINKERS
Nipple drinkers can be used in most poultry water applications, from day old through to adults. The disadvantage of nipples with no cup or splash tray is that there can be some drips of water which end up in the litter. Damp litter is to be avoided with poultry.
ESSENTIAL: For efficient use of the nipples, the height of the nipple is most important. The nipples should be suspended at the height where the chicks are stretching to reach the water. The birds should almost be jumping up to the nipples. If the nipple is low the bird will approach the nipple from the side and most water will bypass the birds beak.
The BELLSOUTH NIPPLE DRINKER ( chicken nipple drinker parts) is available in several forms:
4025- yellow nipple for adult layers, 2 birds per nipple, high flow rate, stainless liner, captive valve
4024 - yellow nipple for chicks and growers, medium flow rate with 360o side activation non- captive valve. Ideal for chicks, up to 15 day old chicks.
4022- similar to 4024, but all stainless steel including the capsule, with a non-captive valve. Ideal for up to 1 5 chicks per nipple, also suitable for guinea - pigs and rabbits.
4050- yellow nipple (wider than 4024,4025) for chicks and adult hens, medium flow rate with 360o activation.
The use of the nipple without a cup is only suitable where a small amount of drip and splash can be tolerated.
NOTE: Nipples type 4022 and 4024 do not have captive valves but have a black valve cover. These nipples can only be used in open top containers where the black cap can be replaced after installation. Eg. Not suitable for use in large shed pipe systems.
INSTALLATION
- Drill a 8.1mm hole in the base of the selected container or soft drink bottle lid.
- Remove the black cap from the nipple. Do not lose valve parts as they are not sold separately. A lost valve part requires a complete new nipple.
- Thread the nipple in by turning clockwise. Do not lose valve parts as they are not sold separately.
- Consider the 4050 chicken nipple drinker use the same way as above, and with its 4050 splash cup, an example of this is the 4050pfb drinker kit component, hole is 11mm though. Splash cup is fairly hard to install but worth it
- For the birds to use the drinker, they must have to stretch up to the nipple. Raise the height as the birds grow.