Well I am going to have to check mine then too.
No not pooing in it. The heater keeps it raised so its not sitting on the coop floor either (I keep the heater under it during the summer just not plugged in). Its this style http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Feeders-and-Waterers/Galvanized-Waterer-2-Gallon-p185.aspx on top of this heater http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Feeders-and-Waterers/Heated-Metal-Water-Base-p481.aspx so its almost impossible to poop in. If they had poop on their feet and gripped the side it might get some poop in it but the heather keeps it a little high for them to do that. I am getting frustrated with them though in between the loose seal and leaking and the tight seal that doesn't release enough water, the rust and now the smell I am really annoyed with them. I am finding them not to be very consistent. I did get a heated plastic one last winter- it didn't get hot enough. We had a lot of days that it didn't thaw the whole tray and they couldn't get any water because the tray had a fairly thick layer of ice over the thawed water. Even when I started with not frozen at all water it still ended up freezing the top. The metal heater definitely works well its just the waterers are causing me too many issues. Too expensive to replace ever year too.
