Metal VS Plastic Water fountain

[BigRedRoo]

Ok so ive done my research, and come up with a DIY heated water base. Bought the supplies tonight, and constructed the base as I saw fit. I used an old metal horse feed bucket drilled a whole in the middle ran a threaded rod for a lamp in with different nuts to make it secure and wired up a ceramic light fixture to the rod. I used a dollar store extension cord for the wire (CSA approved of course) and a 40 watt light bulb, pluged it in and turned it up side down. Voila a Heated Water Base! and for $13cnd. With in a minute it was worm to the touch. (I made sure to drill the whole in the middle of the bucket and used a long enough rod that the lamp is centered.)
It seems to me everyone is using a metal water fountain instead of a plastic one. I have a plastic one currently and all tho I dont really like it I dont want to pay 40$ for a metal one. Just wondered if their was any reason everyone uses metal vs plastic water fountain? might be constructing a new fountain as with a metal base next. Im thinking that the metal base may transfer heat better

 

[PolkaDot77]

Very inventive! That's a cool way to do it. I use plastic instead of metal because I used to have a metal one but it began to rust. I had previously switched from plastic to metal because the plastic just isn't as sturdy and weather and winter will cause it to become brittle and crack. I invested in the metal kind a few years ago but was not impressed as it was expensive and started to rust. I'm back to plastic now and even buying a new one every couple years, I think it will be cheaper than replacing metal ones. In the winter I have a heated bucket that I drilled chicken nipples into the bottom and that hangs in the coop. They have a plastic one on the ground in the coop as well, but it is not heated and freezes by mid day (I refill it with warm water in the morning).

 

[BigRedRoo]

Thanks Polka, My problem with metal all thoe it rusts I dont like the chemicals they use in the gavanizing. If I cant weld it without fear of asfictiation or worse blood poison, I wont take the chance in putting it in my coop. with that said, stainless looks like the way to go. back to the drawing board. I love keeping chickens but nobody has come up with a marketed idea I have liked for them yet. I even built my own bucket feeders because I didtn like the ones on the market (unless you pay $50-60).
How about a stainless troft and a bucket with a lid, drill the whole in the bottom 1.5 inches and just put it in the dish fill with water and let physics control the flow. Go one step futher, wrap heat tape around the bucket cut the bottom off another bucket and put the heat tape bucket inside the non heat and now the tape is protected and water wont freze in the bucket.NO frozen water. I have a bucket with water nipples but my nipples keep freezing.

 

[Mahlzeit]

Very inventive! That's a cool way to do it. I use plastic instead of metal because I used to have a metal one but it began to rust. I had previously switched from plastic to metal because the plastic just isn't as sturdy and weather and winter will cause it to become brittle and crack. I invested in the metal kind a few years ago but was not impressed as it was expensive and started to rust. I'm back to plastic now and even buying a new one every couple years, I think it will be cheaper than replacing metal ones. In the winter I have a heated bucket that I drilled chicken nipples into the bottom and that hangs in the coop. They have a plastic one on the ground in the coop as well, but it is not heated and freezes by mid day (I refill it with warm water in the morning).

How long was it before your metal waterer started to rust? I just bought one with the heated base and will only be using it for the winter months to keep the water from freezing. I use a very large plastic waterer for summer.

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

If you keep them clean, I've had some last four years for me. I use metal waterers wrapped in heat tape during the winter.

 

[Mahlzeit]

You wrap the whole thing in heat tape?

 

[PolkaDot77]

Mine began to rust about 1.5 to 2 years in. It seems like mud getting into the water and sitting made it rust more quickly. The bucket with the nipples solved the mud problem too!

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

Here is my how-to guide for making my modified waterers. There's lots of pictures and all the nstructions.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/g/a/6611082/heated-metal-waterer-how-to/