Heated Waterer?

[go-qoli-gwej]

Last Winter I had my chickens' water in a heated waterer in this style. Within a few months of use, the cord had frayed and split where it meets the base. I don't understand why it wouldn't be built to withstand freezing temperatures but it seemed like the Winter cold made the cord really stiff to the point of splitting and causing a bit of a fire hazard.

Does anyone have a heated waterer that they trust and have had good luck with over the years? Advice on alternatives? I am not with my chickens all day so switching it out several times to prevent freezing isn't an option.

 

[Debbie292d]

We bought three of these but didn't get them from Amazon. I think it was Farm & Fleet or Fleet Farm that had them on sale a couple of times but this is close to what we paid.

They are outside all winter, and even when it's -20F keep the water unfrozen. No issue with cords at all.

I'd check your local farm stores to compare, but I had these shipped to us free from whatever store that was I got them from. It was a few years ago, so sorry can't remember, but these are what I'd buy more of if we needed to.

 

[avjudge]

I have used this one for three winters and it is still going strong. I also love that I can just leave it in place, pull off its lid and pour in more water to top it up.
https://www.chewy.com/farm-innovators-heated-poultry/dp/279943


. . . And I see that @Debbie292d beat me to it!

Oh, I almost forgot, last winter we also added a heated pet (dog) bowl, I think about a gallon size. I don’t remember the brand and it is still put away for the summer. The chickens seem to like to dip their beaks and drink, though they do also use the nipple waterer. We did cut a circle of bubble wrap style insulation material to float on the water and cut down on heat loss, with a “bite“ cut out of it to provide a hole for the chickens to drink through.

 

[Debbie292d]

I have used this one for three winters and it is still going strong. I also love that I can just leave it in place, pull off its lid and pour in more water to top it up.
https://www.chewy.com/farm-innovators-heated-poultry/dp/279943


. . . And I see that @Debbie292d beat me to it!

That's great you can attest to them too!

I also like you can see what's left. I learned to keep them out of the sun so they don't get algae.

 

[avjudge]

I also like you can see what's left. I learned to keep them out of the sun so they don't get algae.

Well, we could if we had not wrapped it in insulation!

We used a rectangle of the same bubble wrap insulation material that I mentioned when I described covering the top of the heated dog dish, with bits cut out to expose the nipples. And lots of duct tape/gorilla tape to hold it in place and cover edges.

So I have to remember to lift the lid every so many days to check the water level.

 

[TillyPeeps]

I used this one for 4 years without issue:

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/farm-innovators-round-heated-pet-bowl-6-qt

They increased the price from $20 to $30 now.

 

[Debbie292d]

I used this one for 4 years without issue:

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/farm-innovators-round-heated-pet-bowl-6-qt

They increased the price from $20 to $30 now.

We use one of those for our dogs and for years as well. For the chickens, that would need cleaning out though. Nipple buckets don't let dirt get in so we just opt that route for them. Plus, in the winter, the open water would add humidity to our coop.

 

[avjudge]

We use one of those for our dogs and for years as well. For the chickens, that would need cleaning out though. Nipple buckets don't let dirt get in so we just opt that route for them. Plus, in the winter, the open water would add humidity to our coop.

I have the nipple waterer in the coop, and the dog bowl (I believe the same one that @TillyPeeps showed) in my run. In the winter those two are not connected (I use a coop inside my barn then). You are right, the nipple waterer has kept the coop dry.

Last winter the run footing was generally frozen solid plus I had the dog bowl on a pallet that lets the chickens get up out of any blown-in snow immediately following a storm, so the water generally stays pretty clean. Also, we tend to dump it in the evening and refill in the morning when it is cold out in order to save the electricity necessary to keep it liquid through a cold New Hampshire winter night.

 

[FarmallNut]

This!!
Cord removes for summer use.

 

[Folly's place]

We use the heated bases, either the metal type for metal waterers, or the one that's safe from plastic waterers, all from TSC or any farm store. Both have worked for years, up on blocks so not in the litter, with no problems.
The heated dog dishes work except for issues with frozen wattles when birds dip them in the dish is freezing weather. Worse, we've had two roosters who insisted on holding the edge of the bowl with one foot while drinking, and froze toes in the cold. They were idiots, true, but no more dog bowl for the chickens in winter for us!
Mary