freeze proof nipple waterer

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yyz0yyz0

yyz0yyz0

Songster
9 Years
May 2, 2012
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Saw this in my Mother Earth News Mag the other day and I really liked the idea. Takes a nipple waterer and turns it into a heated waterer for winter use pretty easy. You can leave it all together but unplugged for summer use or remove it for the summer and reinstall come cold weather. Uses water pipe heat tape to keep the water from freezing, I suppose in the really cold weather the nipples might start to develop ice on them.



Heated-Chicken-Waterer_resized400X266.jpg


http://www.motherearthnews.com/mode...icken-waterer-zm0z13fmzhun.aspx#axzz2LYNCVRFQ
 
We used an immersible birdbath heater to accomplish the same thing, and no, it doesn't keep the metal nipples from freezing in cold weather. Otherwise, it's a great solution.
 
Great question. It seems like the birdbath heater keeps the water in the bucket from freezing and then the nipples can quickly thaw in the daytime. Far from a perfect solution for sure.
 
This setup has performed flawlessly for me for 2 winters now. I have not seen any issues with frozen nipples with this setup and it been exposed to single digits below zero several times.

I made some modification from the original design, I have 1/2inch rigid foam that is on the bottom of the bucket so the nipples protrude through that insulation which may contribute to them not freezing. I covered the foam with the lid from another bucket that i cut to fit and drilled out holes for the nipples. This keeps the chickens from pecking at the foam and also provides extra insulation for the nipples.

I've taken some pictures of this setup before I put it out this year, I'll try to post them when I get home.
 
I'd love to see pictures.

I
yyz0yyz0 said:
This setup has performed flawlessly for me for 2 winters now.  I have not seen any issues with frozen nipples with this setup and it been exposed to single digits below zero several times.

I made some modification from the original design, I have 1/2inch rigid foam that is on the bottom of the bucket so the nipples protrude through that insulation which may contribute to them not freezing.  I covered the foam with the lid from another bucket that i cut to fit and drilled out holes for the nipples.  This keeps the chickens from pecking at the foam and also provides extra insulation for the nipples.

I've taken some pictures of this setup before I put it out this year, I'll try to post them when I get home.
Click to expand...
 
Finally remembered to take some pics of the modifications I made to the Mother Earth News design


View of the bottom with a blue lid cut to fit over the foam to protect it from the chickens pecking at it.



!/2" rigid foam to insulate the bottom of the waterer and also provides insulation for the nipples. You can see the layers of foil bubble wrap insulation that provides the exterior insulation for the buckets.



1" ridge foam disk cut to fit inside the bucket just above the waterline.



The foam goes about 1/2 way down inside the bucket. I only fill with water to below the foam insulator.


With these mods this water system has dealt with temps into the single digits below zero with no freezing problems.
 

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