I know it may seem a little odd to ask about waterers freezing up

[Wife says no chickens]

I live in Ohio and am planning on a smaller coop or tractor and want to incorporate a low mess watering system. How do others keep them from freezing in the winter? Any suggestions on how to best obtain low mess, and how to keep it from freezing up?

 

[chickens friend]

Heated waterier from Tractor Supply.

 

[Yashar]

For under 10,000 you can have a solar hot water heating system installed.

No, really. It doesn't get easier than a heated waterier.
I've even used one of those cords you wrap around a pipe to keep it freezing in the winter before.

 

[sixty7x]

you can buy a heated waterer, or there's a way of making a heater out of a light bulb and a clay pot that works good and is relatively inexpensive. I have a nipple watering system and in the winter I drop in a bird bath heater. It keeps the water temp at 35-45F and there is enough heat transfer through the nipple to keep it from freezing up. When it gets down around 0F, they do start to freeze. I keep the waterer inside the coop in the winter and usually when it warms up over 10F everything is fine.