DIY Water Heater w/ aquarium heater

[jbrianchamberli]

Anyone around here done this? Right now I have the old school metal waterer but in MD it's been pretty cold and the water keeps freezing. I was going to use one of those metal heaters you put under it but the instruction / warnings about how it shouldn't get wet and should always be covered have me a bit worried. The run under the coop is fairly dry but I can't guarantee it won't get wet. I saw plans online to use side mounted nipples in a bucket. The guy tossed in a submersible aquarium heater, the whole thing cost $20 and seems to work pretty well. Thoughts?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

That might work. You just need to be sure that you get one with enough power or it will burn out faster trying to keep up. And make SURE it stays submersed in the water. That is my experience with actual aquariums. Sorry no real experience with freezing water.

Good luck!

 

[AkChris]

Don't use an aquarium heater. They will overheat and the glass tubes will break if they get too hot. Which will happen once the water level in the bucket drops. Also they get hot enough to melt plastic so you have to make sure they can't touch the sides of the bucket. Not always easy to do assuming that the chickens will try to perch on the bucket or just occasionally knock into it, jarring anything inside loose.

I woldn't worry too much about the metal base heaters getting damp. I know lots of warnings not to get wet but it really isn't a problem unless you dump it in water. I have one I've been using about 3 years. It is in a covered run so doesn't get rained on directly but the sides are just wire and when we get windy weather rain and/or snow does blow in a bit. Also I've spilled water over it plenty of times. Never seems to have any problem with some damp. I think mostly you just want to make sure the plug is somewhere dry or in a good outdoor socket/cover.

 

[aart]

I use an aquarium heater and horizontal nipples,
has worked great for 3 winters now, lowest temp was -12F.
You do need to get a good heater(don't go cheap) and make sure it stays submerged, not really a problem here as I top off with warm water every day.
Heater should be kept from touching vessel, mine is well protected.
Vessel should be well insulated and inside coop.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-heated-waterer-with-horizontal-nipples.67256/

 

[Ryn2011]

Don't use an aquarium heater. They will overheat and the glass tubes will break if they get too hot. Which will happen once the water level in the bucket drops. Also they get hot enough to melt plastic so you have to make sure they can't touch the sides of the bucket. Not always easy to do assuming that the chickens will try to perch on the bucket or just occasionally knock into it, jarring anything inside loose.

I woldn't worry too much about the metal base heaters getting damp. I know lots of warnings not to get wet but it really isn't a problem unless you dump it in water. I have one I've been using about 3 years. It is in a covered run so doesn't get rained on directly but the sides are just wire and when we get windy weather rain and/or snow does blow in a bit. Also I've spilled water over it plenty of times. Never seems to have any problem with some damp. I think mostly you just want to make sure the plug is somewhere dry or in a good outdoor socket/cover.

This is true. As someone with fish keeping experience if the water line doesn't stay a certain height the glass enclosing the heating element will break.

I hang my water up from the ground. It does freeze but I just go out there and kick the ice loose.

I have a plastic bucket with nipples but I haven't bought the heating element yet. I'm looking at one that is submersible.

 

[bluebird]

Interesting!!! Thanks for this