I could just throw myself on the ground screaming and kicking my feet!

[CARS]

Cynthia, But you live in GA. It's -3 right now at a little after 10:00 am. A bulb just isn't going to cut it in this region.

My problem with this heated plastic waterer (why does my spell check tell me that is not a word?) is mainly the high water level and that it has holes all the way around it. The ones I use in summer have the plug/hole way down in the tray. I can walk without spilling. The holes all the way around means you don't have a chance to flip it without spilling.

I haven't had the unit fall apart during the tipping process (yet) but I have had a "I'm still asleep" moment where I didn't put the plug in and flipped it anyway

 

[speckledhen]

This may be Georgia, but I'm in the mountains. We have been down to 3 (three) degrees this winter and it worked. There was the slightest skim of ice on one side, but it was drinkable. And you can use a higher wattage bulb in there, too. I use the smallest wattage I can get away with, but could increase it if need be.


I have no idea where to get the caps, sorry. The local feedstore may have some if they carry the waterer. Or the company that makes the waterer will probably be able to send you some.

 

[CARS]

Quote:
Looking at the Stromberg catalog they list replacement caps and O-rings available. They are a drop-ship catalog so if they can get them... anyone can.

 

[buffo1]

Our chicken house caught on fire around Thanksgiving. Only one chicken died, Since then I've had no heat, no light,- I go out everyday to see if they need food or water.

My Dad said I don't need to heat with all hens.

I'm worried- it's 6 degrees tonight.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Count me in as hating that waterer. What a piece of junk. Yes I get wet too. And it doesn't balance well upside down either. So here you are trying to fill that little black hole with water and you get wet.
Try to unscrew it from the base and it is going to take forever and a flashlight to get it back in place right. And then you try to flip it over and the motion of that heavy waterer makes it unscrew.
Ahhh then you get wet litter in the cold of the day and your hands are wet and cold. The birds can't stay on the wet cold litter so you have to change it and then you still need to get fresh water for them.

Sound familiar?

 

[buffo1]

I have only 9 hens left- out of the 10 I originally got as Peeps.

They have food, and water only on every other day.

In this weather, whenever I go out to feed/water them, they are only wanting me to pick them up and hold them.

Tonight when I came home at 10pm it was 6 degrees. on my truck thermometer.

I didn't go out to check on them. I think they'll be fine.


I'll never again let any of them be heated by an artificial source,

 

[Kim_NC]

Hen_House_Rocks! :

Okay, this is a rant in case the title didn't give it away.

I HATE MY HEATED WATERER!!!!

I dont' know what brand it is since I peeled the sticker off after I bought it. But! Every time I fill it up, the top slips off the base when I flip it over and all the water pours out. All over me and all over the run. And it's cold here. (A hight of 20 degrees today.) Man I'm ticked!

If I hadn't spent $45 on it, I swear I'd beat it to pieces with a shovel!!!!

The most aggravating thing is that when my husband flips it for me, he has no problems at all.

I HATE having to rely on someone else to do something that I should be able to do for myself!!

Sorry! Rant over! I feel much better now.

I'm so sorry you're having such trouble with the thing. But I did enjoy your rant.

 

[kathyinmo]

I'm sorry....

I love mine.

 

[Opa]

I don't understand why so many people are having problems with these waterers. After just a little practice I found it quite easy to invert them although you will spill a small amount of water. I also haven't found hanging them to be terribly difficult. One trick I learned is that I use a small chain with a hook on each end. I attach the bottom hook to the waterer and them lift it by the chain to the overhead suspension hook. When I did the reverse I found that I would spill water.

 

[mikecar007]

Check out this thread on the cookie tin water heater, saved myself a lot of trouble in the mornings.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=107951&p=1