New coop build in progress - solar water heater?

[Lulu-vt]

I've started building my coop already. I'm a second time chicken owner. We live in Vermont and it's very cold here in the winter. I don't have electricity to my coop. One of my biggest wishes is to have heated water and I also love those water nipples.
For about a decade I lugged water twice a day to our coop during the winter. UGGGG. That is a lot of work. We also had goats on the other side of the property where I did the same thing.
Technology has come a LONG way in just 5 years and seems more "do-able". I've search YouTube and on this amazing forum but just need more detailed info for a beginner solar person.

In simple terms....can I use solar to power heat for my chicken water?
Is heat what I really need or would a bubbler to enough. In plant world I live in zone 4. This means it drops below zero often!

Also, I want to have an auto chicken waterer. We travel a lot in winter and honestly, I just hate carrying water. Lol! Can I have this with solar?

All I have so far is the coop base so I'd like to incorporate all my new things into the build since I'm starting from scratch.

 

[aart]

I doubt a bubbler would work, especially if using nipples.
I love horizontal nipples all year around, but especially in winter.
With up to ~20 birds I have only had to carry out a gallon jug to top off waterer daily.

Solar might be possible, but would require sufficient panel size for your area and battery storage capacity. Might cost more than running power to the coop. It takes a lot of power to run a heater, as opposed to a light.

How long are you gone on your winter travels. Pretty hard to automate chicken care.

 

[TooCheep]

Heating water using electricity requires a lot of energy. One alternate/complementary solution is to use radiant energy. Mount some type of flat, black tank facing towards the sun and allow it to directly heat your water.

If you use that solution, then either cover the tank or swap for another watering system when it gets warmer so you aren't serving them hot water in the summer.

I second @aart on using horizontal nipples. Works much better in winter compared to vertical ones.

 

[RojoMarz]

We are in Colorado and don't have power at the coop. Lucky we have a bldg that is next to the coop that does have power and use an outdoor extension cord for the heated water base. We did try solar, but didn't have enough storage batteries and the snow/lack of sun made charging difficult. We then switched to running an extension cord.

 

[Lulu-vt]

I doubt a bubbler would work, especially if using nipples.
I love horizontal nipples all year around, but especially in winter.
With up to ~20 birds I have only had to carry out a gallon jug to top off waterer daily.

Solar might be possible, but would require sufficient panel size for your area and battery storage capacity. Might cost more than running power to the coop. It takes a lot of power to run a heater, as opposed to a light.

How long are you gone on your winter travels. Pretty hard to automate chicken care.

10 days is usually our max away from home. I can have someone come in but would rather not. I’ll definitely have to practice first.
We are not able to run electricity, it’s not so much a cost thing.
The coop is on the other side of the driveway from our house. Because of safety and snow blowing/plowing, we can’t have a cord