DIY vs Big box Winter water supply

[Rein Quest]

So I’m considering an idea I have involving a pond pump or fish tank heater in my existing waterer. Maybe both together and maybe some foam board insulation.

My current waterer is basically a rectangular bucket with the cup things and hangs on the run fence. So I can box the outside in insulation.

Do you think this might work in our WI winters?

Or should I go find some big box product?

 

[imnukensc]

The water in the cups will still freeze.

 

[wyoDreamer]

A pump and a heater are both good ideas, but any water left in the cup will not be heated and will freeze. That will either stop the chickens from getting water or break the cup waterer.
I use a traditional 5 gallon metal waterer and sit it on a heater inside the coop.

I inherited 2 of these heaters with the hobby farm we bought, but one has bad wiring that was chewed by a mouse so I can't use it.
I still have the double wall metal waterer occasionally freeze up on me during the winter, but I have 2 of those also, so I can usually get one to thaw before the other freezes.

 

[Rein Quest]

Didn’t think of that.