Heating a 5 gallon bucket with plastic nipples on bottom?

[goatstafson]

We have 5 gallon buckets with those red plastic nipples on the bottom for our chickens. They are great and we totally love them, but it suddenly occurred to us that we really don't know how to heat them for winter, so that they don't freeze. How are the rest of you handling this?

 

[shelleyd2008]

Does it open on the top (opposite end of the nipples)? You can put a light bulb inside the bucket somehow to keep the water from freezing, though I don't know if it would help keep the nipples frost-free.

 

[chickanddoglvr]

You can buy a heater at the store. You just put the bucket on top of the heater and it will keep it from freezing, that is what i do. What do you meen by nipples?

 

[jmagill]

I use aquarium heaters. I have three going in three different buckets with nipples. Second winter using these.

This is the brand I use. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00061UQ6G/ref=oss_product

Works great I find that the warmer water has the chicken drinking more in the winter.

I use either the 25 watt or 50 watt ones in a 2 gallon bucket but they should work in a five gallon bucket as well.

 

[maggiemooscluckers]

I would also recommend the aquarium heaters. I live in AZ so I don't really have to worry about them but if I did, this would be my solution.

 

[matimeo]

I've heard from others on here to be careful about using aquarium heaters, as that is not their intended purpose. I bought one of these today off of Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Farm-Innovato...1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1289708461&sr=8-1

I'm hoping it will be a good solution. It says it only comes on when necessary, but if not I'll just plug it into a thermocube.

 

[jmagill]

Well, I use them for their intended purpose. Heating water!

 

[ikatiemay]

I put a 6x6 cheap tile in bottom of bucket (nipples are around bottom edge.) then from our farm supply store i got a submersable heater kinda like the one matimeo posted a pic of. Mine is only 500 watts and has a flat oblong heating unit, not round. i place it on the tile and plug it in, so far so good!!

 

[ikatiemay]

I love my nipple waterer, so much cleaner and water lasts for days!! the only drawback i can see it you cant set the bucket down or you may damage the nipples. I also place the bucket lid back on and leave space for the cord for the heater. it still fits tight enough that dirt stays out:

 

[PuckPuckPuck]

Does anyone have pics of this bucket with nipples? I sure would like to see it.