Horizontal nipple waterer through winter?

[Toothpick]

Greetings All,

This is for anyone that uses the horizontal nipples and a 5gal bucket as a waterer. I have one simillar to the one pictured. A 5gal bucket from Lowe's that I screwed the horizontal nipples in.

How do you use this throughout the winter? What type of heating element do you use? I know there are heaters that go in the bucket and heaters that the bucket sits on. Which would be best or do they both work and it's just a personal preference?

Here in Middle Tennessee it does drop below freezing, but usually just at night.

 

[hlhutchinson]

This is what I'm going to use. This is my first winter, however I have read good things about the heater and horizontal nipples. It will only turn on when water temp is below freezing

Someone with experience will probably chime in and can give you real life experiences and not just what I have read
Good luck

 

[blackdog043]

^^^^ That is what you need. I am getting the 250 watt. I use a 250 watt floating heater in my half barrel, that I have gold fish in and it works great.

 

[TalkALittle]

^^^ I use the same. 250 watt heater suspended in the bucket. I don't even wrap my bucket and my water stays unfrozen. A few times I had to warm the nipples with my hand and manually press them in but other than that the setup is an easy keeper.

 

[Toothpick]

Sounds like that's the way to go then. Thanks all!