Heated water dish (or other methods) reviews wanted!

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PirateGirl

Chicken Lover, Duck Therapist
6 Years
Mar 11, 2017
7,222
18,632
652
South Park, Colorado, USA
It's almost winter. I was reminded this morning of this fact when I went out to the coop to take care of the girls and their water had frozen over night for the first time. For now I know if I bring the water in at night and give them fresh in the morning they will be fine through the day, but the warmer days won't last long. I figured now is a good time to spark the discussion of fresh water in winter and how to keep it thawed.

What method or product do you use? (provide a web link to product page if possible)
Pros: What do you like about it? Why does it work for you?
Cons: What don't you like? Features that are lacking that you wish you had?
How many seasons has this heater lasted?
Do you have an alternative technique that does not require a power source?
Do you use an economical alternative power source? i.e. small solar panel
What is the size of your flock? (I'm throwing this in because what works for someone with 6 chickens might not be practical for someone with 60 chickens and vice versa)
Do you put the water in the coop or the run?
Average day/night temps/geographical location/any other pertinent weather info??

Thank you all in advance for your insight!
 
I use the Little Giant 125 watt water heater base HB125 with the Little Giant 2 gallon double wall fount.

I've used these every winter for the past 6 years with no problems. I use one in a run (with roof but open sides) and one in the coop. This has worked in temps down to -22 F.

To power the heated bases, I run an outdoor extension cord to the coop and run. The coop is large and the windows are kept open, so evaporation from the heated waterer has not been a problem (i.e., has not led to frostbite of the combs and wattles). In a small coop, however, I'd be concerned about using a heated waterer due to the potential for moisture build-up in the coop.

A single waterer & heater has worked fine for a flock of 2 dozen chickens.

It's nice that the heater base turns on and off automatically based on ambient temperatures, which saves money.
 
I use the Farm Innovators Model HPF-100 "All-Seasons" Heated Plastic Poultry Fountain, 3 Gallon, 100-Watt
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001...ry+waterer&dpPl=1&dpID=41AuN6ROohL&ref=plSrch
I have used this for 2 winters and 3 summers without issue. I liked the 3 gallon size. It holds quite a bit but isn't too heavy for me to haul around. It also only turns on when temps get to a certain degree. (35?)
It is a bottom fill which can be a pain. You can't really take the bottom off then fill it. It warps a little or something once full and then the base is nearly impossible to get on. It's more of an inconvenience than anything.
I'm in Ohio, in the snow belt. We get feet at a time and sometimes below 0 temps. I keep their water in the coop. They are down right spoiled and sometimes refuse to go out in the snow. LOL I have a heavy duty outdoor exstention cord run for power.
With 15 chickens in a large coop I have to refill every couple of days.

I also have a Harris Farms easy fill pointy drinker. Mine is a 3.5 gal.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006...0_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=heated+poultry+waterer
I have only had it for the summer but it can go on a heated base which I'm considering.
Love the easy fill. Don't like the deceptive 3.5 gal. With how it is set up to work with a float system there is probably a half gallon of water that cannot get out to where the birds can reach it. Again, more of an annoyance to me. When I look over and see water in the bucket I think they're fine...only to notice the trough is empty.
 
I use the Farm Innovators Model HPF-100 "All-Seasons" Heated Plastic Poultry Fountain, 3 Gallon, 100-Watt
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001...ry+waterer&dpPl=1&dpID=41AuN6ROohL&ref=plSrch
I have used this for 2 winters and 3 summers without issue. I liked the 3 gallon size. It holds quite a bit but isn't too heavy for me to haul around. It also only turns on when temps get to a certain degree. (35?)
It is a bottom fill which can be a pain. You can't really take the bottom off then fill it. It warps a little or something once full and then the base is nearly impossible to get on. It's more of an inconvenience than anything.
I'm in Ohio, in the snow belt. We get feet at a time and sometimes below 0 temps. I keep their water in the coop. They are down right spoiled and sometimes refuse to go out in the snow. LOL I have a heavy duty outdoor exstention cord run for power.
With 15 chickens in a large coop I have to refill every couple of days.

That's the one I got at TSC. Glad to hear your experience hasn't been awful with it.
 

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