Heated dog bowl filled with sand?

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I just got back from a weekend trip to NY and had a neighbor keeping an eye on my flock for me. I didn't want her to have to bother carrying fresh water out every morning so before I left, I purchased the (blue) one gallon heated dog water bowl from TSC. I filled it with sand, then a clay pot base and set my plastic poultry waterer on top of that. Haven't had a chance to talk to my neighbor yet but this morning when I went out - and it was only 10 degrees this a.m. - the water wasn't frozen. I think I'm going to remove the clay base so the poultry waterer is nesting right in the sand, that might be better if temps drop below zero. But it definitely seems to work and I think I'll keep it in place for the winter. I only have seven chickens so it's a small set up.
 
I just filled the heated dog bowl with water.... So I'm curious, why sand then set the water on top when you could just fill the bowl with water? Not making fun of anyone here, just curious.
 
Well, I must be doing something wrong. I have a green heated dog bowl from Rural King. It is filled with sand and on top of that is a bucket lid and on top of that is my plastic waterer. And I have frozen water and it's in the low 20's. And I left heat lamps on for the birds last night, too.

Is the lid my problem? What else should I try?
 
I put my plastic gallon waterer right into the heated dog bowl and so far it's good. The temp was -25'Celsuis this morning (brrrrr!) and the water was not frozen. I think in extreme cold the sand would act as an insulator and reduce the heat transfer to the waterer. Just my two cents!
 
It was only 3 degrees at 7 a.m. and I found the waterer a little iced in the top of the reservoir but not completely and drinkable water at the bottom. I have the dog bowl filled to the brim with sand and I might remove some of that so the waterer sits a little lower. I used the sand because it supports the waterer and I thought it would hold the heat longer...
 
Yeah, I figured out my problem. Either my hubby or I unplugged the heated dog bowl. Doesn't work too well that way.
tongue.png
 
I use heated dog bowl waterers, but they are hard to keep clean. Some people use 1 gallon ice cream pails as inserts, but I prefer stainless steel dog bowls as inserts. You can clean them or rinse them out, and keep them filled with a bucket of water. The dog waterers only come on around 35-40 degrees, and shut off when above that, so they don't keep the water warm. With the stainless or plastic you can add ACV to your water too.
 
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