Galvanized waterer ?

[chica57]

Quote:
Bought one last year--SO TRUE!!!!!!

 

[swimmer]

I have also heard good things about the cookie tin heater. And can't hurt to try since it looks cheap and easy to make. I haven't tried the heated dog bowl, this is my first winter with chickens. But I'm wondering how much "stuff" will end up in the heated bowl. I'm thinking the chickens will perch on it and poo inside of it. Cookie tin might be the way to go.

 

[Chickenmaven]

I place my heater & waterer on a large board. That keeps it level. It also keeps shavings away from it.

 

[jomercer]

Assuming no air is entering the reservoir from a faulty or improperly seated seal, your problem could be related to the heating of the water.

It might be overfilling the pan because as the water in the reservoir heats, it expands/pressurizes and forces out more water than the "vaccuum" in the reservoir can counter.

The same thing happens with a hummingbird feeder in the sun--it heats up and the nectar leaks out, whereas in the shade it does not (although, granted they always leak on a day that starts out cool and then heats up).

I've never set my water on a particularly level surface, and it still doesn't fill to the brim--even on the days that climbed into the upper 90's and and beyond. You have to tilt it quite a ways before an air bubble can get in to relieve the pressure and allow more water out.

All bets are off, though, if the font is being jostled enough to allow the water to forcefully escape through the spout.

 

[crooked stripe]

I did buy a new seal for the first one I bought. It was as hard as the original. If it wasn't for the wood floor in the coop I would just let it leak. I have been thinking of some way on putting the heated waterer out side under the covered run. A weatherproof cover of some kind that is insulated. When it gets around zero I will just have to make the extra effort on keeping the water thawed.

 

[kichohana]

Quote:
I think this is the best idea!