Ideas for homemade heated waterers

[TERRY4]

I built one of those cookie tin heaters, 3 yrs ago. Probably the best $5 (Less than that actually) I ever spent on the birds. I use a 40W bulb in mine. Check the link.
Jack

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/cookie-tin-heater-for-water

Does it get pretty cold where you are? We're in Ohio and before it gets cold I need to make something.

 

[Rich386]

If you are going to make one of these light bulb heaters.
PLEASE use a GFI breaker the chance of electrocution is real!!!!

 

[TERRY4]

If you are going to make one of these light bulb heaters.
PLEASE use a GFI breaker the chance of electrocution is real!!!!

We agree! We're going to be using one this winter. Thanks for informing people that didn't know about that though.

 

[Rich386]

Quote: What I did is buy a little fountain pump at Lowe's to prevent freezing. I circulate the water from the bucket through the nipple run and back to the tank. Compleatly safe and cost about $12.00 uses about the same electric as a bulb.

 

[TERRY4]

What I did is buy a little fountain pump at Lowe's to prevent freezing. I circulate the water from the bucket through the nipple run and back to the tank. Compleatly safe and cost about $12.00 uses about the same electric as a bulb.

I don't want to use nipple waterers though. I'd rather let them get a nice, full drink, the natural way.

 

[BellevueOmlet]

You can do a similar system but use the cups so that they can get a real drink of water. Best of both worlds.

 

[Rich386]

You can do a similar system but use the cups so that they can get a real drink of water. Best of both worlds.

Just wondering how to keep the water in the cups from freezing?

 

[waldeneffect]

One low budge method is to use an electric pipe heater.

The instructions say to not use it with plastic, but it did not melt this 5 gallon bucket.

Here's a blog post on how we did it.

http://www.avianaquamiser.com/posts/Heat_tape_chicken_waterer/

 

[TERRY4]

We ended up using the cinder block method and it works like a charm! I also am using a 3 gallon metal fountain type waterer. I can post pics if anyone would like to see. This kept the water fluid in our super cold winter in Ohio this year.