heater

[myfarm4579]

Just wondering on the heater for the 5gallon buckets. I know they come on around 35degrees but at what water temperature do they shut back off or are they constant on?

 

[iwiw60]

That really depends on which 'brand' of heater you purchase. The ones I bought turn on at 35 degrees and supposedly will shut off at 48 degrees. But I really won't have to worry much about them turning off. Here in the Cascade Mountain Range we'll be frozen down all winter long...aaaaack!!

 

[myfarm4579]

Ok thanks. Yeah come December here it seldom gets above freezing here either.makes for a long winter will be my first with chickens

 

[iwiw60]

Ok thanks. Yeah come December here it seldom gets above freezing here either.makes for a long winter will be my first with chickens

Just make sure that your coop has good ventilation this winter. Chickens don't have to be "warm" ... in fact they do well down to -20 with no added heat to the coop. I mean think about it...you're a chicken...there's 6 of you in a 5 x 8 coop. The body heat produced by those 6 chickens will be enough to keep the inside of that coop around 30-35 degrees when it's -20 outside. And with all that heat comes the chance of humidity. If you ever "feel" dampness in your coop your chickens will suffer and can cause illness, and you don't want that.

 

[Eggcessive]

I really like using the heated dog bowls. You can use them as is for water, or put dog bowls inside them to switch out. I use 2, and fill them up twice a day for about 55 chickens. Some now come with stainless steel liners. Outside I use the flat rubber bowls with no heat, and just empty them at dark, and fill them up in the morning where the sun usually keeps them thawed. If you forget to empty them you can get the ice out pretty easily by dumping them upside down. I don't recommend the metal heated base for the metal waterers because last winter mine overheated, and the water got very warm. It also had caused the breaker to go off.

 

[myfarm4579]

I have lots of ventilation in coop I do have a brand new heated dog bowl my wife got for 3bucks at a yard sale. Was thinking of switching to that for winter but wasn't sure if the chickens would relearn how to use the h/nipples in the spring.

 

[jetdog]

This heater works great with horrizontal nipples and is safe for plastic, after the"polar vortex" of last year I highly recommend it, got it at tractor supply.

 

[myfarm4579]

Ok thanks. I will check it out this weekend. Thanks again