Has Anyone Tried A Heated Dog Bowl?

[bukbugack]

I've been using a heated 3gal. poultry waterer (which I haven't had to turn on yet). It's not that easy to refill and seems like it will be a real pain in the winter outside. I certainly don't want to slosh around with it inside. I was wondering if one of those heated dog bowls might be whole lot easier. My birds don't get much debris in their water except what is stuck to their beaks. Seems like it would work. Has anyone tried one of those? Some of them are pretty big. 2 gallons. What size do you have?

 

[redhen]

I use it for my ducks..it worked fine last winter..

 

[lalaland]

yes, I've used the heated dog bowls in several different sizes. Easier in the winter, just get a pail or something that you can dump the dog bowl dirty water into, swish some clean water in, rinse back into the pail, and refill with clean water.

Summers, I'm back to regular waterers, but the dog bowls last longer than the oil pan type waterer heaters and are much less expensive too

 

[bukbugack]

Quote:
Your description is exactly what I had in mind. Thanks!

 

[2DogsFarm]

I've had one in my barn for the last 5 Winters for barncat.
Works great.

This is my first Winter with chickens & I found a heated bowl on sale at Menard's for 1/2 what I paid for the one in the barn at TSC.
I elevated it on some bricks insode the coop so shavings, etc don't get kicked in.

I do exactly what lalaland described to refill, except I keep a 2gal jug (from kitty litter) filled with fresh water in the coop. That way I don't have to lug the heated bowl to the outdoor faucet.

And you're right - very little debris gets in the bowl except what comes off their beaks when they drink.

When it gets frigid I'll keep the jug in the house.

 

[card5640]

I have one and I set a tin beach pail in it and put the water in it, its easy to dump wiht the handle, I refill it and set it back in the dog dish, it doesnt freeze and allows me to put more water in. The dog dish is shallow.