2-gallon heated nipple waterer on sale at Fleet Farm

[Debbie292d]

We use a DIY 5-gallon water bucket with nipples in our coop and it never freezes as our coop stays 40F all winter; however, we have a need for another water source for our outdoor breeding pen/temp coop that's going to start in February/March.

Instead of making another 5-gallon nipple bucket and having to buy a heated base for it as this temp coop is a pen outdoors with a wooden chicken hutch inside, I searched to see what those electric nipple buckets cost, and lo and behold found the 2-gallon one on sale at Fleet Farm for $39.99. Most places those are $49.99 - $53.99.

If you don't have Fleet Farm near you, they ship but charge $11.99, less $10 coupon they have if you'll spend over $75.00 online. I did, thus, shipping was basically $1.99.

Just thought I'd pass this along if anyone needs one or another one.

 

[chrissynemetz]

We use a DIY 5-gallon water bucket with nipples in our coop and it never freezes as our coop stays 40F all winter; however, we have a need for another water source for our outdoor breeding pen/temp coop that's going to start in February/March.

Instead of making another 5-gallon nipple bucket and having to buy a heated base for it as this temp coop is a pen outdoors with a wooden chicken hutch inside, I searched to see what those electric nipple buckets cost, and lo and behold found the 2-gallon one on sale at Fleet Farm for $39.99. Most places those are $49.99 - $53.99.

If you don't have Fleet Farm near you, they ship but charge $11.99, less $10 coupon they have if you'll spend over $75.00 online. I did, thus, shipping was basically $1.99.

Just thought I'd pass this along if anyone needs one or another one.

I should get one of these. I'm getting too old/tired/lazy to haul water and bust ice all winter

 

[Debbie292d]

I should get one of these. I'm getting too old/tired/lazy to haul water and bust ice all winter

If it wasn't for the eggs, we'd not have to go out there for several weeks.

Hubby plows paths to the coop for me, and for them, but I still call it the "Olympic Geriatric Sprint" when I have to go out there.

 

[Krux5506]

Thanks for posting this, I'll probably end up buying one! Haven't hit much of freezing temps here yet but soon enough.

 

[gtaus]

We use a DIY 5-gallon water bucket with nipples in our coop and it never freezes as our coop stays 40F all winter; however, we have a need for another water source for our outdoor breeding pen/temp coop that's going to start in February/March.

My coop is not heated. Here in northern Minnesota, I often see temps down to -30F to -40F in the dead of winter for a week or two. I have had real good luck with my old-fashioned metal poultry water fount and metal base heater combo. Even when the temps in the coop drop to -30F, my water is still not frozen. I think that is because the waterer is inside the coop and not exposed to cold blowing winds otuside. In any case, my combo is like this...

Note that the heater is rated to keep the water unfrozen down to only +10F, but I think that must be if the waterer and heater are outside. Like I said, my combo has kept the water from freezing down to -40F inside the coop, not exposed to blowing wind.

I know this metal combo is more expensive than the hanging heated nipple waterer, but I have had 4 years without any problems with my heater base. Where I live, it is the best selling waterer for chickens at the Fleet store despite costing more than other alternatives.

I have 10 laying hens. My 3-gallon waterer lasts about 10-15 days in the winter before needing to be refilled. So, I only have to refill it about twice a month. I'd probably buy the 5-gallon waterer but toting the 3-gallon waterer in the winter snow to refill it is heavy enough for me.

Also, there is a metal heater base on Black Friday sale at Amazon...

Just a few questions. Have you used the heated nipple waterer outside in the winter? How well does it keep the water from freezing? There is no temp rating on the unit that I can find, but I notice that the heated nipple waterer only has a 60 watt heater, whereas the metal base heaters I use have a 125 watt heater. That seems like a big difference to me.

And I don't mean to throw cold water on your heated nipple waterer, but I would be concerned about it freezing up and how would I know? Do you have to test each nipple every day to make sure the water is flowing? With my metal poultry fount, I just have to look into the lip of the base and can see fresh water. That gives me the good feeling that the chickens have fresh water available all the time.

Well, I'm kind of an old-fashioned guy and hesitant to change if my current setup works for me. Heck, I still use heat lamps in the chick brooder because I can look in the pen and see how the chicks are doing. But I think there is nothing more vital to the survival of the chickens in the dead of winter than having fresh water. Without water, they cannot digest their feed properly, they get stuffed up, stop eating, get weak, and die in the cold.

 

[Debbie292d]

My coop is not heated. Here in northern Minnesota, I often see temps down to -30F to -40F in the dead of winter for a week or two. I have had real good luck with my old-fashioned metal poultry water fount and metal base heater combo. Even when the temps in the coop drop to -30F, my water is still not frozen. I think that is because the waterer is inside the coop and not exposed to cold blowing winds otuside. In any case, my combo is like this...

View attachment 3688273

View attachment 3688274

Note that the heater is rated to keep the water unfrozen down to only +10F, but I think that must be if the waterer and heater are outside. Like I said, my combo has kept the water from freezing down to -40F inside the coop, not exposed to blowing wind.

I know this metal combo is more expensive than the hanging heated nipple waterer, but I have had 4 years without any problems with my heater base. Where I live, it is the best selling waterer for chickens at the Fleet store despite costing more than other alternatives.

I have 10 laying hens. My 3-gallon waterer lasts about 10-15 days in the winter before needing to be refilled. So, I only have to refill it about twice a month. I'd probably buy the 5-gallon waterer but toting the 3-gallon waterer in the winter snow to refill it is heavy enough for me.

Also, there is a metal heater base on Black Friday sale at Amazon...

View attachment 3688278

Just a few questions. Have you used the heated nipple waterer outside in the winter? How well does it keep the water from freezing? There is no temp rating on the unit that I can find, but I notice that the heated nipple waterer only has a 60 watt heater, whereas the metal base heaters I use have a 125 watt heater. That seems like a big difference to me.

And I don't mean to throw cold water on your heated nipple waterer, but I would be concerned about it freezing up and how would I know? Do you have to test each nipple every day to make sure the water is flowing? With my metal poultry fount, I just have to look into the lip of the base and can see fresh water. That gives me the good feeling that the chickens have fresh water available all the time.

Well, I'm kind of an old-fashioned guy and hesitant to change if my current setup works for me. Heck, I still use heat lamps in the chick brooder because I can look in the pen and see how the chicks are doing. But I think there is nothing more vital to the survival of the chickens in the dead of winter than having fresh water. Without water, they cannot digest their feed properly, they get stuffed up, stop eating, get weak, and die in the cold.

We just bought these heated ones and we're in WI next door, so it's not been cold enough to test them yet. These are fancy silkies going to live out there in Feb/March so it still will be freezing and they'll be put to the test then. I could just stick one outside somewhere now and let them use it to see how it does so we'd find out sooner.

I would just check the nipples daily when I check on them and collect eggs so I'd know it was working. We've had the 5-gallon nipple bucket in the coop about 7 years now and had to change one nipple out once. We put 1/2 teaspoon of RV water freshener when we fill it up about once a month and it stays crystal clear. I bring it in when it's close to empty, and hubby hauls it out there, but it's just once a month or so for 15 chickens.

Hubby's still making the "minicoop" or hutches for within the pens yet, and since they will have a cozy coop (flat panel heater) inside those for a month or so, he's thinking of making them big enough to sit these 2-gallon waterers in too as he was having the same concern as you were. He's an electrician so of course has to scrutinize everything.

 

[gtaus]

I would just check the nipples daily when I check on them and collect eggs so I'd know it was working.

I think you have to check those nipples daily. I read some of the negative reviews on the heated nipple waterer and one person discovered that the heater coil had failed, the water had frozen solid, but it took them 3 days to figure it out when they lifted the lid to refill the tank and discovered the water level had not gone down in 3 days. That's a long time to go without fresh water.

I always read the negative reviews first because people who get burned are more apt to tell you how the product failed. Then I have a better understanding of what to keep an eye on if I decide to get that item.

Also, I have come to not trust many 5 star reviews because lots of companies pay people to write positive reviews for them. I know a guy who got paid to write 5 star reviews on Amazon for products he never even saw. He just got a list of positive things to say about the product and got paid after the reviews were posted. Since I found out about that, I no longer have much faith in "customer" reviews on Amazon.

And that is too bad because I know if I really like a product, I'll write up a 5 star review. But if I read that same review from someone else, I'd probably not believe it thinking they were just paid for the review.

Anyways, living close to each other, we know how cold it can get in the dead of winter here in the north country. Although I like the concept of the nipple waterers, they have many benefits in keeping the water cleaner, but I do prefer the old-fashioned fount sitting on a metal base heater because I can just look down and see if the water is not frozen.

I hope you update this thread at the end of the winter and give a good review on how well the heated nipple waterer worked for you.

 

[Debbie292d]

I think you have to check those nipples daily. I read some of the negative reviews on the heated nipple waterer and one person discovered that the heater coil had failed, the water had frozen solid, but it took them 3 days to figure it out when they lifted the lid to refill the tank and discovered the water level had not gone down in 3 days. That's a long time to go without fresh water.

I always read the negative reviews first because people who get burned are more apt to tell you how the product failed. Then I have a better understanding of what to keep an eye on if I decide to get that item.

Also, I have come to not trust many 5 star reviews because lots of companies pay people to write positive reviews for them. I know a guy who got paid to write 5 star reviews on Amazon for products he never even saw. He just got a list of positive things to say about the product and got paid after the reviews were posted. Since I found out about that, I no longer have much faith in "customer" reviews on Amazon.

And that is too bad because I know if I really like a product, I'll write up a 5 star review. But if I read that same review from someone else, I'd probably not believe it thinking they were just paid for the review.

Anyways, living close to each other, we know how cold it can get in the dead of winter here in the north country. Although I like the concept of the nipple waterers, they have many benefits in keeping the water cleaner, but I do prefer the old-fashioned fount sitting on a metal base heater because I can just look down and see if the water is not frozen.

I hope you update this thread at the end of the winter and give a good review on how well the heated nipple waterer worked for you.

We've been testing it on the north side of our house as the bucket I've been setting up here near the house for whoever has been freezing. It's been out there about a week and the lowest temp was 7F. Not an issue at all.

 

[gtaus]

We've been testing it on the north side of our house as the bucket I've been setting up here near the house for whoever has been freezing. It's been out there about a week and the lowest temp was 7F. Not an issue at all.

That's good to know. I think there would be a lot of advantages to the nipple waterers as long as they don't freeze up.