Galvanised versus plastic waterer?

[Hinotori]

I have both. The chickens seem to like the plastic one best, and more so when it starts getting some algae.

The dang plastic one just pours out it's water if it's not perfectly level and level is hard to find here with all the rocks. The galvanized one keeps cooler for me, and some of the girls like it better. It never leaks on me even if tilted a bit.

 

[TigerLilly]

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I use 1 gal plastic buckets for the chickens but I do have some galvanized for the goats & cows--the chickens drink out of whatever is handy.

 

[tlagnhoj]

I have plastic--never used galvanized--and think I will stick with it given our current circumstances. One benefit to the plastic over the galvanized is that it is thermodynamically more stable than the galvanized. Not to say that it won't heat up or cool down to temps the galvanized will, but that it will get there more slowly. Galvanized will also transfer the heat into or out of the water more quickly and to a greater degree than the plastic will. I will concede that it might be a difference without a distinction in some circumstances. 101* ambient air temps are just hot regardless of the waterer's material. And likewise, temps in the teens will just as easily freeze water in the plastic one as it will in the galvanized one. But in more moderate temps, it will translate into more even water temps across a given time.

I have two waterers and rotate them daily. On the "off" day, one is getting washed, so cleanliness isn't so much of a problem.

 

[Chicky boom boom 27]

I see several of you have posted using the galvanized one in the winter with a heater. Where do you get your heater? I have used a dog waterer for the last 2 winters and I have to empty it every day since they poo in it.

We're really cold here in Iowa with fast cold winds. My coop is insulated with a heat lamp. Any ideas?

 

[oldchickenlady]

I have used both and I prefer the plastic. I made cookie tin heaters last year (metal Christmas cookie tin with light bulb inside) and ran extension cord to house. I set the heaters on a concrete block and the waterers on top of the heaters, worked like a charm. I did have to change from a 40 watt bulb to a 60 watt bulb during really cold weather (single digit) but they really made winter watering no problem. My galvanized started rusting and just looked nasty even after cleaning.