ideas and how-to's of winterizing cup drinkers

[johndeerematt]

Hello everybody! Hey, I just installed some cup drinkers and they work great. These actually work with a float valve and keep a cup full of water in them. Anyway, I got to thinking about how going to winterize them.here are my thoughts.I will put a fish tank heater in the five gallon reservoir, and then I will put 2 250watt heat lamps fairly close above the cups themselves. Critique and put your opinion forward. Oh, and I live in nebraska, so it can get to around zero easily during the winter. And yes, the drinkers will be inside the unheated coop and the pipes are insulated as they were made that way. Thanks in advance!

 

[nab58]

I'm always afraid of fires when it comes to heat lamps, hay and chickens. Other than the potential fire hazard, sounds like a great idea.

 

[johndeerematt]

Anybody else out there? Need more than one response!

 

[debid]

I use this model bucket deicer in my 5-gallon nipple waterer and it works great:
http://www.farmandfleet.com/product...sion-bucket-utility-de-icer.html#.Ugg8o7Uo4iE
Aquarium heaters don't dial down to 40 degrees so you'd be heating the water much warmer than necessary and I question how it would hold up under these conditions. It's always safer to use a heater in the way it was intended.

Now, I don't have water cups so I can't help you there other than to suggest looking at pipe heat tape or a panel heater to keep the area above freezing as an alternative to hanging lamps. 500W running 24/7 is going to spin your meter...

 

[johndeerematt]

What would you suggest for the reservoir? As for the lamps, you should see the meter spin when we start welding! (I live on an actual farm, not just an acreage). Appreciate the critique though! Whoops, just saw the link about the deicer!

 

[johndeerematt]

Anybody else have any good ideas or suggestions?

 

[jmagill]

I have been using aquarium heaters for about 4 years now. They work great. I also find that my chickens drink more water in the winter because it is warmer. However it will not work for the cups. They are going t freeze.

 

[OrchidDragon]

Word of caution about aquarium heaters. They can fail even if designed to be completely submersible. Some may even state they are submergible but have a maximum water line (the temperature control dial stays above the waterline). I had one rated to be fully submerged in my fish tank and it leaked and electrocuted all my fish. I would hate for that to happen to your chickens. You would have to make sure that the water level stays high enough, according to the heater instructions.

I have heard of others using automatic thermostatically controlled heat tape (wrap around plastic water pipes).

 

[jmagill]

I have 2 or three aquarium heaters going all winter. That is usually 6 months for me. I have had them freeze in the water and the water run dry. They spend the summer in the chicken supplies box being bumped and dropped on the floor. I have not had one break or go bad yet. I use the Hydor brand.

 

[Rich386]

I use a small fountain pump from Lowe's $12.00. I circulate the water from the bucket through the nipple run and back to the bucket. Solved all my freezing problems. The sketch does not show the return it was added after.