Illinois...

[Molpet]

We're all just chicken pushers!

Nope I'm a turkey pusher

 

[SnootyHen]

Do any of you run an extension cord to your coop from the house to run a water heater? It makes me nervous to do that but I also don't super enjoy water freezing every 2 hours either. I was thinking I could run one back to the run but will the chickens try to eat it? It's bright orange so you know they're going to try! And how do I secure the plug so they don't mess with that? If I keep the plug inside the run, they may mess with it. If I keep the plug on the outside of the run, it's more exposed to rain and snow. Plus I have visions of my old dog with the bum wheel tripping over it and yanking the whole thing out spilling water everywhere and likely tangling herself up in the process.

Have I mentioned I have issues?

Is it really any better to use the heated waterer base or am I making more work for myself for no good reason?

 

[Molpet]

Do any of you run an extension cord to your coop from the house to run a water heater? It makes me nervous to do that but I also don't super enjoy water freezing every 2 hours either. I was thinking I could run one back to the run but will the chickens try to eat it? It's bright orange so you know they're going to try! And how do I secure the plug so they don't mess with that? If I keep the plug inside the run, they may mess with it. If I keep the plug on the outside of the run, it's more exposed to rain and snow. Plus I have visions of my old dog with the bum wheel tripping over it and yanking the whole thing out spilling water everywhere and likely tangling herself up in the process.

Have I mentioned I have issues?

Is it really any better to use the heated waterer base or am I making more work for myself for no good reason?

This is how I think also. .. only I would also be tripping over the cord, or trying to shovel it up.

I figure I need to go get eggs every few hours anyway so they don't freeze.

Also I have 4 coops, one outside outlet and the farthest would be 3or 400 ft the closest around 100.

Not sure I want to spend the effort to run underground electric out there through the tree roots and the septic

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

Do any of you run an extension cord to your coop from the house to run a water heater? It makes me nervous to do that but I also don't super enjoy water freezing every 2 hours either. I was thinking I could run one back to the run but will the chickens try to eat it? It's bright orange so you know they're going to try! And how do I secure the plug so they don't mess with that? If I keep the plug inside the run, they may mess with it. If I keep the plug on the outside of the run, it's more exposed to rain and snow. Plus I have visions of my old dog with the bum wheel tripping over it and yanking the whole thing out spilling water everywhere and likely tangling herself up in the process.

Have I mentioned I have issues?

Is it really any better to use the heated waterer base or am I making more work for myself for no good reason?

I have an extension cord running to poultry water heaters and haven't had any problems for 3 winters now. My chickens have never bothered the cord or plug. I actually have 2 or 3 cords together but I recommend running a fresh cord to be 1 piece long enough. Almost every campground I've been to has cords in rain and puddles. Quality fresh cord wont have issues.
I even have a splitter for the chicken tractor too.
I run the cords from the top of run/coop when possible to reduce possibility of issues. But when chicks free range they ignore the cord (mine do, yours may be curious but should learn quickly it's not food).

 

[cavemanrich]

SnootyHen

I'm also in agreement with WhyDoILikeChickens. I never had chickens peck at my extension cords on the ground. The insulating orange plastic is not something chickens can chew thru. If you have cord warm inside house before taking outside, it will unravel somewhat straight and flat on the ground. It will also flatten on the ground after a set time. I would not worry about your dog tripping and getting tangled.
You can use plastic sandwich bags to somewhat contain/protect the connections from excess water, and snow.
I have my Christmas air blown decorations connected with cheap extension cords laying on the ground. They are snow covered, and are plugged into a GFIC plug. None have tripped the GFIC plug yet.
I have 2 heated dog bowls running right now. One for my chickens, and one for my other pets,,,, song birds, squirrels, and cats in the front yard.
Pix is from before snow fell.
BTW note that my cats get along with my squirrels just fine
A few cats I had before used to eat squirrels But not any of my current herd.

 

[Faraday40]

Do any of you run an extension cord to your coop from the house to run a water heater? It makes me nervous to do that but I also don't super enjoy water freezing every 2 hours either. I was thinking I could run one back to the run but will the chickens try to eat it? It's bright orange so you know they're going to try! And how do I secure the plug so they don't mess with that? If I keep the plug inside the run, they may mess with it. If I keep the plug on the outside of the run, it's more exposed to rain and snow. Plus I have visions of my old dog with the bum wheel tripping over it and yanking the whole thing out spilling water everywhere and likely tangling herself up in the process.

Have I mentioned I have issues?

Is it really any better to use the heated waterer base or am I making more work for myself for no good reason?

I have an extension cord from our exterior garage outlet (protected) into the chicken run (also dry). I was able to run the cord along the garage and out of the way. Chickens never noticed it. The cord enters through a hole I made in the hardware cloth near the roof of the run. It heats the water in winter and runs a coop fan in summer.

My waterer is a 5 gal bucket with horiz chicken nipples and a heater (like a birdbath heater.) Mine only turns on when water temps reach 32'F and off around 35'F. The water is always liquid - but never warm.

 

[SnootyHen]

I probably just need to get with the 19th Century and stop fearing electricity.

 

[BReeder!]

You'll be coming home to snow.

I've always had very good luck with neighbors as pet sitters. Who else will care for them and accept eggs as payment? (Of course, I doubt there's many eggs right now)

Sometimes I feel like I'm an "Orpington pusher." Go ahead try one....... then they come back the next year to buy more friendly, big, beautiful, round Orpingtons. LOL Yep. I think I'm getting many people in the Chicagoland area addicted to Orpingtons. They're a gateway chicken. Next thing you know, those people are trying Seramas, Easter Eggers, Spitzhaubens, and even other poultry like quail, ducks, and turkeys. I really love to "share" and help others with their chicken math.

I'm one of those people... lol

 

[BReeder!]

Nope I'm a turkey pusher

I'm one of those people that got sucked into turkeys by you too.

 

[BReeder!]

Do any of you run an extension cord to your coop from the house to run a water heater? It makes me nervous to do that but I also don't super enjoy water freezing every 2 hours either. I was thinking I could run one back to the run but will the chickens try to eat it? It's bright orange so you know they're going to try! And how do I secure the plug so they don't mess with that? If I keep the plug inside the run, they may mess with it. If I keep the plug on the outside of the run, it's more exposed to rain and snow. Plus I have visions of my old dog with the bum wheel tripping over it and yanking the whole thing out spilling water everywhere and likely tangling herself up in the process.

Have I mentioned I have issues?

Is it really any better to use the heated waterer base or am I making more work for myself for no good reason?

I have a heated water (built in heater in the bottom). It has worked great so far. I don't recall if I bought it last year or the year before. It has horizontal poultry nipples, which didn't take long for the birds to figure out - chickenese translation: "Shiny metal thing... peck, peck... Oh! Water!" If you wanted to add heat to an existing waterer, I would second Faraday's idea to use a bird bath heater. The only caution I would add is lift it off the bottom of the waterer if it's plastic just to be safe. A peice of tile, clay potting dish, or any other item that will not corrode would suffice as a spacer between the heater element and the waterer bottom. Also, be sure to secure cords and keep them above the waterer to prevent electrical accidents. Chickens can be surprisingly crafty in killing themselves (and possibly their human companions).