Don't buy this waterer.

[DiYMama540]

Thanks for the heads up @JoeInPA !

 

[gtaus]

i don't use waterers summertime they drink out of a large turkey kettle wintertime they eat the snow

My girls don't want to get their feet on snow, let alone eat any. What kind of chickens do you have that eat snow?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Just a fair warning so that hopefully none of you make the same mistake I did. Don't buy this waterer. They sell it at Tractor Supply. It is made by Farm Innovators and is model HPF-100.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/farm-innovators-heated-poultry-fount

I don't usually write bad product reviews but I absolutely despise this turd.

1. It leaks. All the time. The water slowly goes down and because the reservoir doesn't seal tight to the base.

2. It has a plug to pull from the bottom so you can fill it without removing the reservoir. Nice idea, but it's really difficult to fill it from the bottom because the whole thing is attached to a power cord with limited reach. And when you do flip it over, the reservoir usually pops off and spills any water that was left in it. And even if the reservoir doesn't pop off, you are guaranteed too spill all of the water that is in the base. Even if you do use the plug in the bottom, the hole is so small you would definitely need a funnel to fill it.

3. If you are like me and power your heated waterer by running an extension cord to it, you will likely want to use electrical tape on the connection between the extension cord and the waterer. Which means you can't easily disconnect the red base to take it inside and wash it because the cord doesn't disconnect from the base. So any cleaning you do to the base has to be done outside in the coop unless you want to untape the extension cord, unplug it, take it inside and wash it, then bring it back out, plug it in and refill it every time.

4. When you finally get it filled, it's a pain to reinstall the base with the reservoir upside down because the reservoir is thin plastic and it flexes a ton so it doesn't line up easily.

5. When you finally get the base on, and you go to flip it over, the base usually pops off because it fits so loosely. Then you have a mucky muddy mess in the run, your shoes and pants are soaked and your birds still don't have any water.

All in all this is just a terrible design. Please learn from me and don't frustrate yourself by purchasing it.

I agree. It is a piece of crap. And yours is an improved model over what I had.
I can't tell you how many times I filled my boots with water at zero F.
I had two of them. One did keep water thawed most of a winter hanging in a tree. However after 2 years the tops broke from the effects of exposure to the sun.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

My girls don't want to get their feet on snow, let alone eat any. What kind of chickens do you have that eat snow?

Most chickens will eat snow.

 

[gtaus]

Most chickens will eat snow.

Mine won't go outside of the coop if there is snow on the ground. I make it a point to spread some bagged leaves in the run after a snowfall, but they really don't want to go outside. When they do, I have yet to see any eat snow. But I do have heated water in the coop, so maybe they just chose not to eat any snow.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Mine won't go outside of the coop if there is snow on the ground. I make it a point to spread some bagged leaves in the run after a snowfall, but they really don't want to go outside. When they do, I have yet to see any eat snow. But I do have heated water in the coop, so maybe they just chose not to eat any snow.

Since I shovel (a path to the waterer as I place it outside), mine will come out, and they do nibble at the snow that's conveniently piled up next to them from the shoveling. Even if they eat snow they still drink water and should have a water source, but some do seem to like to grab beakfuls of it as they come and go.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Mine won't go outside of the coop if there is snow on the ground. I make it a point to spread some bagged leaves in the run after a snowfall, but they really don't want to go outside. When they do, I have yet to see any eat snow. But I do have heated water in the coop, so maybe they just chose not to eat any snow.

I usually keep a couple bales of straw on hand when winter arrives and spread some outside each coop and they seem to be much more comfortable coming out. Until I spread straw, most won't come out.

 

[BDutch]

My chickens are a bit carefull but do go out in the snow as long as it is a thin layer. They eat snow too.

Because my 15W waterwarmer burnt a hole in my previous plastic water container I bought the water container where it is designed for.

The warmer clicks in a holder. The container is made of glass. So this can't melt anything. One problem I allready encountered is the filling (turning). Another may be the size.

It is designed for birds, not for chickens. And I’m not sure if my small Dutch bantams (size like big pigeons) can drink from it.

I figured out to put it in a ceramic bowl with water if its too small. Winters here are not severe. And just a little warmth should do if I put in a place without cold wind.

Not practical but I hope this will do for the average 2 weeks its freezes here in wintertime during the day.

Normally I use a container with a drinking nipple for rabbits in the coop and a ceramic bowl with daily fresh water in the run.

 

[Cryss]

I may have figured that out the hard way... Oops

 

[Raenh]

I turned mine into a bird feeder... drilled a few 1in to 1 1/2in diameter circles in the reservoir, threaded clothes line through the hole where the water should come out, filled it with birdseed, flipped it upside down, and hung it up.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/harris-farms-drinker-35-gal