is there a better waterer out there?

[maurerwerks]

I got one of those galvanized double-walled waterers, thinking that, come fall, I would get the metal heater bottom for it. We live in NH and below zero temps in the winter make heated waterers a necessity. We have plastic electrically heated buckets for our goats and those work great. This blankety galvanized waterer is a pain in the butt (chicken butt!) I have to check it at least 2-3 times a day to make sure that the water is actually being let into the little tray. Here's my question... Is there some way to adjust this thing so I don't have to buy a whole new thing. If not, I saw a plastic waterer online at Stromberg's that looked good and it has a separate heated base that is available also. Sure is mighty expensive though. The one that is an all-in-one plug in model someone said is a pain to fill especially in the winter. What to do?

 

[shopchicks]

Do you have a place you can hang a bucket? I purchased poultry nipples for about $1 apiece and screwed two of them into the bottom of a 5- gallon bucket. It works great and the chickens took to it right away. Total outlay for the whole thing was only about $6 and it lasts 2-3 weeks between fillings for 6 hens.

 

[helloroe]

Shopchicks;
How are you keeping algae out of the bucket for 2-3 weeks? Do you notice a slowing of drinking when the water gets warm from the sun?

 

[2DogsFarm]

For the number of hens you have I think you could use what I have for my 5:
Heated plastic waterbowl - meant for dogs.
It holds a gallon & I got mine on sale at Menard's for $12.

It kept the water unfrozen dependably all last Winter (& we had some sub-zero freezes) and is easy to maintain. Even with my girls locked in their coop all day it never got more than 1/2 empty.
The heating element is in the bottom and the cord has a metal coil around it so it can't get pecked.
I just elevated mine on some bricks & it worked out fine.

 

[le neige homme]

Quote:
I certainly hope it's cleaned and refilled much, much more often than that in actual practice.

 

[Kansaseq]

I use buckets. In really cold weather, I put them inside the house near the heat lamp, which mostly keeps them from freezing. For the duck water that stays outside, I use a thicker horse bucket, that I can smash the ice out of, without breaking the bucket itself. I would think a heated bucket for dogs would work just fine, though. Walmart has them.

 

[viktoriacl]

I bought that stupid galvanized piecevof junk too! UGH So frustrating. Mine leaks if not perfectly plum! Really! Search for home made waterers. Very talented people on this site!

 

[shopchicks]

Quote:
I put ACV in the water and have no mold/slime problems. It is necessary to use a totally opaque bucket for this reason. I haven't noticed any drinking issues with the hens - the water would be just as warm in any other vessel since I'm not home during the day to tend to it. And no, I don't change it more frequently - I checked it frequently at first and with a tightly fitted lid, and thorough cleaning between fillings, the water stays fresh.

 

[Bedste]

wow..... great idea.... where do you get poultry nipples? did you buy the bucket or is it leftover from paint? do they sell the bucket with the lid at lowes?

 

[Tala]

I use 8qt Fortiflex buckets to water everything on this place (dogs, cats, chickens, wild birds....)

When I started free ranging I noticed that the birds all went to drink out of the dog's buckets. Since they are sooooo easy to fill, I 86'd the "chicken waterers" and buy an extra bucket everytime TSC has them on sale (got my last one for $2.99 coz they were clearancing the "spring" colors!) Can never have too many buckets it seems. I use them for everything under the sun!

They work for chicks 8+ weeks old, before that I have to suffer through messy shallower dishes