Which drinking nipple is suitable for your poultry?

Drinking nipples for poultry are available in many types and sizes. Selecting the right drinking nipple will prevent water wastage and contributes to the growth and health of your animals. Discover which drinking nipples there are and which drinking nipple type is suitable for your poultry. 

Different types of drinking nipples

In the baseline, there are two different drinking nipple types. The difference between these drinking nipple types is related to how the drinking nipple is activated. 

• A 180⁰ nipple is activated when the pin is pressed up. So the chicken drinks from this drinking nipple from the bottom side. 
• A 360⁰ nipple can also be activated through side-action. Therefore, a chicken can drink from both the side and the bottom side when using this drinking nipple. 

Drinking nipples for broilers

Broilers consist of 70% of water. Therefore, they must start drinking as early as possible and get sufficient water every day for optimum growth. A 360⁰ drinking nipple is, therefore, the best choice for broilers. This nipple type has the least resistance, so the young animals can easily activate it.

Drinking nipples for pullets

Young pullets explore their environment by pecking at everything they see, just as young broilers do. A 360⁰ drinking nipple can be activated from each side and ensures pullets quickly learn to drink, so they ingest sufficient water during the crucial starting phase. 

Drinking nipples for laying hens

Laying hens can drink from both 180⁰ and 360⁰ drinking nipples. But because 360⁰ drinking nipples are increasingly used in the rearing phase, they are also used more and more in laying houses. This reduces the transition to the laying house and increases the chance that the laying hens immediately drink sufficient water.

Drinking nipples for untrimmed laying hens

The upper beak of an untrimmed laying hen is longer than the lower beak. This means that they cannot approach a drinking nipple from below. Instead, they turn their heads to the side to peck at the nipple with the side of their beak. We have developed a unique 360⁰ drinking nipple with a low flow side-action, so the untrimmed laying hens can drink more easily, thereby reducing water wastage. 

Drinking nipples for breeders

Breeders usually drink at fixed times to prevent waste or 'overdrinking'. Therefore, a 180⁰ drinking nipple is the best option for these animals. Even when the birds fiercely peck at this nipple type, a limited quantity of splash water is released. This positively affects the poultry house's litter quality and therefore contributes to preventing respiratory tract disorders and footpad dermatitis.   

Other points to consider when purchasing drinking nipples

There are a few other choices that are important when selecting a drinking water system. The most important ones are:

• Material: Drinking nipples entirely made of stainless steel have the longest service life. Drinking nipples with PVC components are cheaper.
• Water delivery: Most drinking nipples are available in several variants, each with its own unique water flow rate. The choice for a specific water flow rate depends, among other things, on the type of animal and the climate conditions in the house. For most chickens, a water flow rate between 35 and 80 ml/min is sufficient. With a higher water flow, there is a higher risk of spillage. It is wiser to install more drinking nipples to ensure that all birds get enough water.
• Drip cups: The higher the water flow becomes, the greater the probability that chickens will start to spill water when drinking. From a water flow rate of 50 ml/minute, we recommend using drip cups. We also recommend using drip cups for untrimmed laying hens because they tend to spill more.