Keeping our 55 Gallon Water barrel warm

[Dvacha11]

Hello, we have a 55 gallon water barrel that we use to have our chickens drink water from. We have little cups at the bottom for them to drink out of. We are prepping for winter…

Has anyone used anything to keep their 55 gallon barrel warm in the winter? I’ve seen some heating bands on Amazon that would maybe work but I’m interested in what others have done.

You can see our water barrel in the picture attached.

 

[Happy hen lover]

I used a stock tank heater (made for plastic) last year with no problem. The year before the tank froze and split can in half!

Only difference is I use horizontal nipples as I don't think they freeze up as fast as cups. Hope that helps.
It doesn't keep warm just kicks on when water gets to 36 then off at 40.

 

[wamtazlady]

Hello, we have a 55 gallon water barrel that we use to have our chickens drink water from. We have little cups at the bottom for them to drink out of. We are prepping for winter…

Has anyone used anything to keep their 55 gallon barrel warm in the winter? I’ve seen some heating bands on Amazon that would maybe work but I’m interested in what others have done.

You can see our water barrel in the picture attached.

You can use a stock tank deicer to keep your barrel thawed. However, those cups are outside the barrel and will freeze at 32 degree unless you can think of a way to heat the cups themselves. Even vertical nipples will freeze before it gets really cold. To use your barrel for winter water you will need horizontal nipples. Mine have stayed thawed down to -26 F. Not sure how much colder it could get and still have thawed water.

 

[Dakar2009]

I use the cups on a plastic 5 gallon waterer (rent-a-coop). I have nipples on it, too, but they don't seem interested in those...so I am looking at keeping the cups liquid this winter. I'm thinking I may need to go back to the trough waterer, but use metal with a heat plate under it. I see no way to keep the cups from freezing and also cracking from the expansion.

I am still toying with the idea of moving the waterer into the coop itself to get it away from the elements. It doesn't leak and they don't make a mess with it, so that may work. I planned on putting a heat lamp inside the coop for the really cold days, so this is still an option, too.

 

[Dvacha11]

I use the cups on a plastic 5 gallon waterer (rent-a-coop). I have nipples on it, too, but they don't seem interested in those...so I am looking at keeping the cups liquid this winter. I'm thinking I may need to go back to the trough waterer, but use metal with a heat plate under it. I see no way to keep the cups from freezing and also cracking from the expansion.

I am still toying with the idea of moving the waterer into the coop itself to get it away from the elements. It doesn't leak and they don't make a mess with it, so that may work. I planned on putting a heat lamp inside the coop for the really cold days, so this is still an option, too.

I've been looking and Amazon has something like this that may work. But I'm not sure I want this close to the chickens. https://www.amazon.com/BEAMNOVA-Hea...fos.006c50ae-5d4c-4777-9bc0-4513d670b6bc&th=1