Heating a plastic bucket nipple waterer ?

[Shido Burrito]

Great suggestions! Totally going to follow this thread now so I have it saved for this winter. Hope it's not as harsh as the one we just had!

 

[ShelleyHar]

Lots of good information here. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

 

[chococharly]

Brilliant! I am going to try the aquarium heater. It seems for the small bucket I have it will be a MUCH more economical solution than a de-icer.

 

[SuzynHu]

I'm totally jealous of the great many success stories in this thread regarding winterized bucket/watering nipple systems. I have not been as fortunate...

I am currently using a 3.5 gallon hen hydrator with 4 nipples:

In it I have a 250 watt de-icer:

...and while the de-icer keeps the water fully thawed the metal pins in the watering nipples are continuously freezing solid. Today's daytime temperatures were steady at 13°F and I have already brought the bucket inside the house to defrost the nipples at least 2x over.

Any recommendations as to what I should try next? Your suggestions are very much welcomed and appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Shido Burrito]

OK, I was having the same problem and the main reason was the nipples kept freezing! The ones on the bucket you posted, and the ones I HAD are the vertical nipples. The water drips down them and freezes. I switched to horizontal nipples, which lay sideways, and the water doesn't leak out and freeze. It worked for me! And I am in similar temperatures right now.
Here is where I bought the horizontal nipples:
http://www.amazon.com/Horizontal-Side-Mount-Poultry-Nipples/dp/B00JXUAD0K

Good luck!

I'm totally jealous of the great many success stories in this thread regarding winterized bucket/watering nipple systems. I have not been as fortunate...

I am currently using a 3.5 gallon hen hydrator with 4 nipples

In it I have a 250 watt de-icer:

...and while the de-icer keeps the water fully thawed the metal pins in the watering nipples are continuously freezing solid. Today's daytime temperatures were steady at 13°F and I have already brought the bucket inside the house to defrost the nipples at least 2x over.

Any recommendations as to what I should try next? Your suggestions are very much welcomed and appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Chickenman7333]

I had the same problem. Keep all air drafts away from the waterer I use a 250w K&H pail heater in a 3gal pail with four nipples that keeps the water 50-60deg. As long as the air is quiet, the nipples don't freeze down to 10deg. Below that I point a heat lamp at it from 2ft above the pail for a few hours until the sun comes up and the air temp is a least 10deg. This works down to 0deg and lower. Keep in mind I keep my waterer outside in the run which is wrapped up for the winter in plastic. I would never use a heat lamp in the coop, too dangerous.

Jay

 

[critterrun]

so you like the one that floats ?

 

[chickenlarry]

I have just installed horizontal nipples in a 32 gal. plastic trashcan. I have it installed outside and I intend to use a stock tank heater in it. As far as the nipples go I just wrapped the threads with Teflon thread tape. Two weeks no leaks. Hope this helps

 

[jaymejojos]

Have any of you using aquarium heaters had problems with bacteria growth?

We've had some hens with watery poops and I'm looking to find out why. The only thing that has changed recently is the addition of the water heater to their nipple bucket waterers.

Thanks!

 

[Enid Stowers]

Mine have been frozen into the ice when I forgot to plug them in. They spend the summer in the chicken box with lots of things piled on top. They have had the water run dry. Nothing has hurt them. They are basically running 24 hours a day for close to six months a year.

Your aquarium heaters were frozen in the ice? They didn't break? I have one, but I was nervous about trying it out.