Heated Poultry Fountain or heater base

[AtRendeAcres]

I will be going away around 1st & I need to keep water from freezing!

So, I guess I will be buting a few a of these!

I am wondering wich one is better so, people using either one of these please give me thoughts on them good & bad!

Thanks
Joanne

 

[LynneP]

How many birds?

I bought a heated base and 3 gal double-walled fountain and ended up using it for the cats on the main floor of the barn (concrete) where there is a drain for ease of water change. I gave the hens their electric water bowl (1.5 gal from Farm Innovators) and I love it in the coop. My 12 birds use about a gallon, including splashing, morning and evening, so I dump out the remainder into a catch bucket, wipe it down and refill it. Very rewarding to have an easy water gadget in the coop. It's on a patio block set atop 3 cinder blocks to bring it to the height of the hens' backs. Found it at a pet store and I have seen them at tack shops.

Joanne, whatever you choose will someone be coming in to supervise and clean? Heated water gets contaminated faster than cold.

 

[AtRendeAcres]

I will be gone for 3 days!

I won't have anyone coming in or out!
They will have enough room & food I just want to make sure water doesn't freeze!


Of course everyone thinks my girls are quite spoiled
Most people don't worry about their chickens just their horses
So for me to ask them to go the extra yard (in a foot of snow now)would be out of the question!

(I have also had past experiences with kids not closing the doors correctly & everyone left as prey)

I have
16 dual purpose
10 toddlers
14 in nursery

Joanne

 

[waynesgarden]

This is the heated waterer that I'm using. It's been good to a couple of degrees below zero so far. Not sure how much lower it will keep the water thawed.

I've left the 7 birds for three days over Thanksgiving and will do so again on Christmas with enough water and food for even longer. Had a neighbor stop over to collect (and keep) the eggs/

Wayne

 

[DaveMN]

i use the metal double wall founts because i found that plastic founts were not as durable at sub-zero temps in the winter I use the 5 gallon fount on a heated base. it is the metal base like this one http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/product/no_freeze_heater_base.html and even when the temps drop to -20f over night it so far has not frozen and i have been using it for 4 years now.

 

[SewingDiva]

Quote:
We have the same thing; it's 4 degrees out right now and its been working fine.

 

[Rooster Ray]

I use the 3 gallon heated fountain. Just this weekend we had temps as low as 3 and a windchill of 30 to 40 below 0 and I have not had the water freeze yet I think I paid $38.00 and I am very happy with it so far.

 

[ghillie]

The metal fount base recommends that it only be used in a dry covered area. I use the plastic heated waterer outside in the run and the metal fount & base in the hen house....

 

[LynneP]

One bowl wouldn't be enough, then...you probably need a couple of 3 gal waterers on a heated base.