Heated waterers for the winter

[Montana-Hens]

Having only 6-10 ladies who winter over I choose the heated dog bowl route. They sit up on cinderblocks. It helps to match the bird size and keep them much cleaner.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Quote:
I use 2 of these all the time in winter for my flock of 35 in the henhouse.

 

[jeb251]

yes you can use nipples, here is how my coops are set up, I use 3" pvc pipe with a two foot riser where it is filled, the nipples are screwed right into the pipe, the horizontal pipe then goes through the coops that are side by side, the pipe has a drain at the end where it is slightly lower to allow for draining, the pipe has heat tape wrapped with insulation and duct tape, it works great and is completely automatic, I love it

 

[Sooner]

If you do a serch on heated water you will find all kinds of idea's.

 

[Whispering Winds]

Quote:
I thought about this too . . .Meyer has heated ones, might want to check with them . . .do you put the water bowl up on a little stand so they can't "kick" junk in it?


Never mind . . .I see where someone uses cinder blocks. THOSE I have!!!!

 

[Orchid]

I am totally new to overwintering chickens, so I did a search on here, and saw someone mention filling the heated dog bowl with sand and then setting the waterer on top of the sand. I'd like to know if that works well, because it sounds like something I'd like to try for my four girls this winter.

 

[Chickenaddict]

I am another HUGE fan of the heated dog bowls!!!!they are life savers when its -40 below!!!! I fill it everyday dump it every other day and wash it once a week. The water stays really clean up on a cinder block as mentioned. However if you house ducks in with your chickens like I do now I would reccomend putting a board over half of the top so the ducks don't claim it as their new "winter spa" like they did here.

 

[paparootzi]

I absolutely LOVE my heated dog bowls! I got mine for 14.99 ea. !!! Here's the link:
http://www.ruralking.com/heated-round-pet-bowl.html

 

[blk90s13]

This is what I use http://www.jefferspet.com/ssc/product.asp?CID=0&pf_id=0032628 I like it because I dont have to fill it every day

 

[fiberart57]

Count me in as another fan of heated dog water bowls. Last winter, it got down to sub zero for days on end and that's when I found out that the three-gallon heated waterer with the heated base and the heated fount block are recommended only to 15 degrees. It got a lot colder last winter - oh, man was it cold. The heated water bowl was a lifesaver.

Along this line, my observations of my chickens are that they prefer to drink out of an open container, like a dog bowl, rather than those inverted jug waterers, which I have and they use if they have to. The dog's water bowl in the yard is an open bowl and they'll leave their coop and head right for it and get a drink before they start their day of destruction - - uh, I mean, free-ranging, even though there's perfectly clean water in the run.

Also, I didn't keep the waterer in the house with them, too afraid of fire. (Look at the grim stories from last winter.) The dog waterer did fine outside in sub-zero. I did keep it away from moisture and the elements.

Mary