Watering Systems

[crazylilchick]

We are new to chickens and I am trying to decide what kind of waterers to get. My ultimate watering system would be something I can fill from the top without having to dump something upside down and something I can keep from freezing in the winter. I was considering a bucket with one of those cup and hose attachments but how do you keep the water in the hose and cup from freezing? They make submersable heaters to place inside the bucket right? What if the mechanism that keeps water in the bowl breaks? Are they reliable? What do you use?

 

[Firstrune]

Frozen water is a problem we struggle with every winter. Years ago, with my first flock of chickens, what we rigged up for the winter time was to use the regular gravity flow waterers and then my husband hung a heat lamp right above the waterer. That worked well for keeping the water from freezing. They do make small water heaters for bird baths, but I never tried one of those, so don't know if they would work or not. You'd need a water bowl large enough to accomodate the heater element.

 

[Queen of the Lilliputians]

One of my husband's farmer friends has an electric bucket. I guess you plug it in, and it keeps the water from freezing. We plan on looking into it for next winter.

I was also wondering about wrapping the waterer with heat tape. Not sure how safe that would be, though, or if it would work. I'm going to see who else answers your post!