Best Bucket Waterer Heater?

[Gray Ghost]

I water my 28 hens with a couple of 3-gal. plastic buckets with nipple waterers in the bottom, hanging from the ceiling of the coop. This will be my first winter so I trying to decide the best way to keep the water flowing in my (unheated, NE Wisconsin) coop. I am thinking some kind of heater suspended in each bucket will work.

What kind of heater has worked best for you in similar situations? I stopped by Wal-Mart to look at acquarium heaters and there was one for about $18 but it will keep the water at 78 degrees farenheit which seems like overkill and might use more electricity than necessary. I also found a couple of 44-watt and 50-watt submersible birdbath heaters on Amazon.com which look like they might work.

I would prefer a heater which is thermostatically controlled in order to save power consumption.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[FlashPointFarm]

I use Livestock water heaters and put them in a plastic barrel that I cut down to 14 inches or so. Lots of water and the heaters do a great job, especially if there is air circulation around it. I keep mine outside so it's less messy in the coop.

 

[jmagill]

You should look at the watts used for the heater.

I use an aquarium heater because the watts used are only 25 while most bucket heaters and deicers are 250 watts and more.

 

[jmagill]

I will be adding something like this to my three this year. http://www.winemakersdepot.com/Referigeration-Thermostat-The-Controller-P337.aspx

I will then be able to keep the water at a lower temp by cycling the heater off when the water reaches a certain temp.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I would prefer a heater which is thermostatically controlled in order to save power consumption

Plug the heaters into a Thermocube:

http://www.thermocube.com/​

 

[Gray Ghost]

Quote:
Plug the heaters into a Thermocube:

http://www.thermocube.com/

I already have a thermocube. However I don't think it's meant to be immersed in water. I'm looking for a device which will heat the water based on the temperature of the water (to keep it just above freezing) not on the temperature of the air.

 

[Ohhhdear]

Aquarium heaters are trouble in the making. On the surface, they look like they'll work great; submersible, low watts, cheap. But the problem comes if the water level drops around the heater and the glass cracks... the best scenario is the heater shorts out, worst, your water system carries an electric shock. Glass gets in the water. Water gets cold and freezes.

I think a dog water bowl heater would be more safe, even if you just submerge it into the bucket.

 

[Cluckn Crazy]

Agreed - aquarium heaters - NOT SAFE!

 

[AnnainMD]

Haven't done it yet but I plan to use either a birdbath heater or a deicer from enasco: http://www.enasco.com/product/C12700N.

 

[ijon1]

I use a heated dog pail. Put a peice of flat plastic on top with hole big enough for the chickens to reach water.