Chicken Waterers and Feeders: Height, Types, Cleaning

What Alberta's small-flock guide says about nipple, bell and cup drinkers, feeder and waterer height, winter water and cleaning, with the waterers and feeders we list.

Short answer: Alberta's guide for small flock owners, Raising Chickens in Alberta, says "As chickens grow, adjust the feeder height in order to keep it lined up with the crop (a bit above the dorsal line)." For water, "the height must be at the head level". It describes three drinker types (nipple, bell and cup) and says "Fill watering containers that do not automatically fill at least twice daily."

How much water chickens drink

The guide's rule of thumb: "A chicken will normally drink double the amount of food it consumes by weight." Plan your waterer size, and how often you fill it, around what your flock eats.

Feeder and waterer height

Feeders: "As chickens grow, adjust the feeder height in order to keep it lined up with the crop (a bit above the dorsal line)." The guide explains that a feeder set too high keeps birds from eating, and birds at one set too low may waste feed.
Waterers: "The same applies for water, except that the height must be at the head level (this is to stimulate the natural way that chickens drink water by stretching their necks)."

Nipple, bell or cup drinker?

Nipple drinkers: "Nipple drinkers provide a clean option for water and are adjustable to chicken height fairly easily." The guide's caution: "The biggest problem with nipple drinking lines is that they can be a challenge to properly clean and disinfect."
Bell drinkers: an open system that gives easy access to water but can be fouled by litter, feed and droppings more easily than nipples; the guide adds that "when bumped, the bell drinking system can spill, promoting a high moisture level in the litter".
Cup drinkers: similar to a bell drinker with a water reservoir, but "the cup drinker is often fixed to minimize water spillage."

Cleaning

"Fill watering containers that do not automatically fill at least twice daily."
"Ensure proper cleaning at least once daily, removing any visible contaminants to maintain bird health."
"Flush and clean out water lines at flock change."

If your water comes from a well or rainwater, the guide says to test it routinely.

Winter water and feed

"The desirable temperature for the water ranges from 10°C to 27°C; if the water is too cold or too warm, birds won't drink it."
For keeping water open, the guide says: "Use nipple drinkers with a heated hose or heated water dishes."
"If you allow your chickens access to the outdoors during the winter, keep the feed free of snow."

For heated waterers, buckets and bases, see Heated Water Buckets and Stock Tank De-Icers: Keeping Livestock Water Open Through an Alberta Winter. For coop heat, see Chicken Coop Heaters for an Alberta Winter: Heated Perches, Pads and Brooders.

Poultry waterers we list

Nipples and drinkers we list

We also list DVL Poul-Vite 100g, whose pack reads "A poultry vitamin water soluble premix"; use it only as its label directs.

Poultry feeders we list

For which feed to put in these feeders at each age, see our guide Chick Starter, Grower or Layer Feed: When to Switch Chickens.

Source: Government of Alberta, Raising Chickens in Alberta: a guide for small flock owners (2015), Module 2, "Feed and Water Placement", "Water Needs of Chickens", "Types of Waterers" and "Cleaning of Watering Systems", open.alberta.ca, viewed October 2026.

Chicken Waterers and Feeders: Types, Height and Cleaning (Alberta Small-Flock Guide)