Connect a hose, turn on the tap, walk away — unlimited fresh water with no refilling, ever
Lubing header tank with a German float valve, the same component used in commercial poultry sheds; nothing electronic, nothing to break
Three stainless steel Lubing nipples: water a drop at a time when a bird pecks the pin, no open water at all
Works on mains pressure, a garden tap, or gravity from a rainwater tank — the header tank regulates the pressure
Pre-assembled aluminium bracket, twin outlet frame, hose fitting and clamp in the box. Fitted in under 20 minutes
Australian made, 3-year warranty on Dine-A-Chook parts. Free shipping to any NZ address

Never refill again — hose on, tap on, done
Three Lubing nipples, no open water
Mains, tap or rainwater tank
Bracket, frame, fittings included
Australian made, free NZ shipping

The duck drinker that never needs filling

Ducks drink more than hens and foul open water in minutes. This unit gives them water on demand from three stainless Lubing nipples, fed by a small header tank that refills itself from your hose and shuts off with a float valve, exactly like a toilet cistern. No pool to paddle in, no bowl to tip, no refilling. The bedding stays dry and the drinking water stays as clean as your tap. Chickens, geese and mixed flocks use it just as happily.

The float valve inside is the same German-made Lubing component used in commercial poultry operations worldwide. Simple mechanics, nothing electronic, nothing to break down. In well over a decade of selling these drinkers across Australia and New Zealand we have replaced almost none.

How it works

Connect	A standard garden hose onto the 13 mm barbed fitting, or plumb it in at the ½″ BSP inlet
Turn on	The header tank fills to the set level and the float valve shuts off
Done	A nipple releases water only while a bird pecks the pin; the tank tops itself up as they drink

On tank water or gravity feed? It works the same. The header tank isolates the pressure from your supply, so it does not matter whether your rainwater tank holds 500 or 5,000 litres or how high it sits. Drawing from a rainwater tank, an inline filter before the drinker is worth having to catch sediment.

Why nipples

A Lubing nipple is the outlet used in commercial layer and breeder sheds. The bird pecks the stainless pin and gets a drop of water; let go and it stops. There is no pool to foul, nothing to tip, and nothing evaporates. It is the cleanest way to water poultry, and the right one for ducks, who dip their whole bill in a cup and empty it onto the floor. Nipples need steady head pressure of about 35 to 50 cm, which is exactly what the header tank provides.

Nipples or cups?

Nipples for ducks, geese and mixed flocks, or for anyone who wants the cleanest possible water. Chickens learn a nipple within a day; tap the pin so a drop forms while they watch. Cups hold a visible pool that chickens take to a little faster: the twin cup and four cup drinkers are the cup versions of this unit. Ducks still need a bucket or pond deep enough to dunk their heads in, away from the bedding.

Installation: under 20 minutes

The aluminium bracket comes pre-assembled to the tank. Screw it to something solid: a fence post, shed wall or coop frame. Screw the outlet frame into the pre-fitted elbow on the tank, connect the hose, turn on the tap. The unit weighs about 5 kg full, so it needs a structural mount: timber, a solid wall, or masonry with plugs. Not chicken wire. Set the nipples just above the head height of your smallest bird, so they reach up to peck, and watch the flock for the first hour.

A note on maintenance

Nipples are close to maintenance-free. If one ever weeps, a speck of grit under the pin is the usual cause; press the pin a few times to flush it. Every few months, drain and rinse the header tank. On hard or bore water, a vinegar rinse clears mineral deposits.

What you get

Lubing header tank with German float valve
3 mm aluminium bracket, CNC-cut and pre-assembled
Three outlet frame
3 genuine stainless steel Lubing nipples
13 mm barbed hose fitting and stainless steel clamp
Installation guide

Specifications

Outlets	Three stainless steel Lubing nipples
Suits	About 18 to 24 ducks or chickens
Header tank	364 mm × 200 mm × 250 mm, about 3 to 4 litres
Weight, full	About 5 kg
Water connection	13 mm barbed fitting for a standard garden hose, or ½″ BSP
Supply	Mains pressure, garden tap, or gravity from a tank
Mounting	Four screw holes in the pre-fitted bracket; solid surface required
Material	UV-treated tank and frame, lead-free and BPA-free; aluminium bracket; stainless steel fittings

3-year warranty on the drinker components Dine-A-Chook manufactures, 12 months on the Lubing cups and nipples, and 12 months on the header tank. Colour loss and fading, rodent damage, and incorrect installation are not covered. Full terms on our warranty page. Shipping is free to any New Zealand address.

Choosing the right size

As a guide, one nipple for every six to eight birds. One nipple for a handful of birds, three for a typical duck or mixed flock, five for a large one, all on the same header tank. Prefer cups for chickens? The single, twin and four cup drinkers are the same system with cups.

Who makes this

We are Ryan and Kara, based in Townsville. Dine-A-Chook started in 2009 as a weekend project in the garage: we had chickens, we were frustrated with the gear available, so we made our own. More than 80,000 customers later, we are still a family business. The aluminium brackets are cut on our own CNC machine, the fittings are injection-moulded in Brisbane, and the Lubing components come from Germany because nothing else matches them for reliability. This is not imported and rebadged. It is designed here, made here, and backed by people who use it. Questions? Get in touch and you will talk to someone who keeps chickens.

Product Specifications

Outlets:: 3 stainless steel Lubing nipples
Suits:: About 18 to 24 ducks or chickens
Header tank:: 364 x 200 x 250mm, about 3-4 litres
Weight:: About 5kg full
Water connection:: 13mm garden hose fitting or 1/2 inch BSP
Supply:: Mains, garden tap or gravity from a tank
Material:: UV-treated, lead-free and BPA-free; aluminium bracket
Includes:: Header tank with valve, pre-assembled bracket, outlet frame, hose fitting and clamp, guide
Made in:: Australia

Free shipping on every New Zealand order. No minimum spend. Delivery details →

Q. How does the header tank work?

A. Like a toilet cistern. A horizontal Lubing float valve lets water in until the tank reaches its level, then shuts. As the birds drink from the cups the level drops, the valve opens, and the tank refills. Nothing electronic, nothing to set.

Q. Can I connect it to mains, a tap, or a rainwater tank?

A. Any of them. A standard garden hose onto the 13 mm barbed fitting is the usual way; plumbers can use the ½″ BSP inlet. On gravity from a tank it works the same, because the header tank isolates the pressure from your supply. On rainwater, fit an inline filter before the drinker to catch sediment.

Q. Will my birds work out the nipple?

A. Nearly always within a day. Tap the pin with a fingertip so a drop forms while they watch; curiosity does the rest. Make it the only water for the first day or two, with the ducks' dunking bucket somewhere else.

Q. Will the tank deteriorate in the sun?

A. The tank is UV treated, but mount it in the shade anyway. Poultry want cool water, and a header tank in full sun warms up. Shade also keeps algae from getting started.

Q. How many birds will it water?

A. Water supply is unlimited, so the question is access: as a guide, one nipple for every six to eight birds, so three nipples suits about 18 to 24 ducks or chickens.

Q. Do my ducks still need a pond?

A. For drinking, no. For dunking their heads to clear eyes and nostrils, most breeds yes, and they enjoy it. A bucket or a small pond away from the bedding does the job. The nipple drinker is what keeps the coop dry and the drinking water clean.

Q. What does it mount to?

A. Something structural: a timber post, a solid wall, or masonry with plugs. The pre-assembled aluminium bracket has four screw holes. It weighs about 5 kg full, so not chicken wire or light mesh. Set the cups at eye level for your smallest bird.

Q. Does it leak or drip?

A. No. The float valve shuts fully and a nipple only releases water while a bird presses the pin. If a nipple ever weeps, a speck of grit under the pin is the usual cause; press it a few times to flush it.

Q. What about frost?

A. The tank and cups cope with New Zealand frosts, and moving water in the line helps. On the coldest mornings check that the nipples have not iced over, as you would with any outdoor water. If you are in a hard-frost area, mount the tank against a sheltered wall.

Q. What is the warranty?

A. Three years on the drinker components Dine-A-Chook manufactures, 12 months on the Lubing cups and nipples, and 12 months on the header tank. Colour loss and fading, rodent damage, and incorrect installation are not covered. Full terms are on our warranty page.

Automatic Duck Drinker 3 Nipple