Chicken Waterer Support Centre

If using with cups, the cups should match the height of your smallest hen's back. If the cups are too high for your smallest chicken's when on the legs, switch to hanging so you can drop the height as required. At this height all your larger chickens will also be able to use the cups.

If using with nipples, the nipples should match the height of your chickens' beaks so they peck at the nipple from slightly below with a little stretch. This enables the chicken to maintain the correct head angle for swallowing and taking measured sips. If you have a mixed flock of different sizes and are using the waterer with nipples, you will need multiple waterers so each size of chicken has access to the nipples at the optimal height.

No, for the first few months the waterer will be too high for their beaks to reach.

Yep! Every component of the Omlet waterer is BPA free. No nasties here.

When empty, the waterer weighs 2.6kg. When full, it will weigh 15kg. If it's feeling too heavy to carry when full, we recommend refilling in situ with a watering can or extendable water hose.

Yes. The waterer is insulated, so can keep water cool without the need for ice, but on really hot days adding ice inside will keep the waterer cool for even longer.

Nipples release water when your chickens peck at them. Here's how to train your chickens to use them:

1. Ensure the nipples are at the correct height (in line with your chickens beak) to maintain the right head angle for swallowing.

2. Demonstrate use to your chickens by tapping the nipple to release water droplets.

3. Add a small amount of a treat on the nipple to encourage your chickens to peck and discover the release of water.

4. Allow time for the chickens to adjust, and ensure all chickens have learnt to use the nipples before removing other water sources.

Inside the Omlet Chicken Waterer doesn't require regular cleaning, but when you refill you may wish to rinse it out and occasionally wipe the inside of the viewing window. If you are using the waterer with cups, some dirt and debris can build up over time as it drops into the cup from your chickens beaks. We recommend giving the cups a regular wipe with an absorbent cloth.

We don't recommend it, as it will mean varying heights and may confuse your flock. It may also mean your chickens are less likely to adopt the nipple method if they always have the cup option available.

Chickens drink the most when their water is between 10 and 15°C. The Omlet Waterer is insulated to ensure water remains comfortable to drink even when there's extreme hot and cold temperatures outside.

The waterer will fit comfortably in an Eglu Cube or Eglu Pro run, but we don't recommend it be used in an Eglu Go or Go UP run as it will take up a lot of your chickens' space and make it difficult for them to maneuver around it. The waterer is 43.5cm tall (55.2cm with legs) and 36.9cm wide.

Our waterer comes with 6x cups and 6x nipples so you can choose and change between the two drinking methods, and have a spare of each in case you ever need it. The waterer also comes with the legs to stand it up in your run.

We recommend starting with cups if your chickens aren't already used to nipples, as they are easiest for chickens to get used to straight away, and then slowly training and transitioning your chickens to nipples, especially if you live in an area with extreme hot or cold temperatures.

The water in the cups can freeze in extreme cold or warm up quickly in extreme heat, they can also collect some dirt and debris overtime. With nipples, water isn't released until your chickens peck at them. This keeps the clean, fresh water inside the sealed, insulated waterer at the perfect drinking temperature in the meantime.

Yes, go ahead! The waterer is corrosion resistant so adding supplements like apple cider vinegar to your chickens' water isn't a problem.

Yes, when standing the cups/nipples are 20cm from the ground, and if you hang the waterer you can adjust the height to your flock. We recommend hanging the waterer to match the height of your smallest hen's back if using cups, and at their beak if using nipples.

When full the waterer will weigh 15kg, so use a strong chain or rope and make sure what you're hanging it from is strong enough. You can hang the waterer from Omlet Eglu runs and Walk In Runs if from a support pole, but not directly from mesh.

Algae grows quickly when water is a warm temperature and exposed to lots of sunlight. That's why we designed the Omlet Insulated Chicken Waterer to be completely opaque, apart from a slim viewing window, to block out 99% of sunlight, and to be well insulated so the water temperature remains cool in summer. This prevents algae growth before it even starts.