Yes, you are correct. We didn't thread them too tightly. But the buckets were thin and when I picked them up with the heavy water load, they flexed and cracked. They worked fine for months before that. But I like the 20 gallon barrels better anyway. They are much thicker walled, less susceptible...
Thank you all for the replies! @aart, the waterer is in the covered run, not in the coop. But it is protected both by a roof and from the worst winds via a back wall. I did have two 5 gallon water buckets in the run as well, but managed to crack both of them just above the nipple fountains...
This winter will be my first winter with my chickens in their coop/run. We live in middle Georgia, USA, so the winters tend to be mild. I'm not worried about the girls getting cold--the coop is not drafty. However, the outdoor temperatures can, and will, dip below freezing on many nights. I...