My Homemade waterer heaters (pictures) UPDATED

[jaj121159]

Here are two of the waters I made this year for my layers.

This is a five gallon bucket using a aquarium heater and nipples. So far we have gotten down to 12 F this year and the nipples haven't frozen.

The next water straddles the wall between two coops in the chicken barn. It's made of a 21 gallon tote with three nipples on each side. I have a livestock tank heater with the plastic bucket guard keeping this one ice free. No problems with the nipples freezing one this one either.

I really didn't have to train the chickens to use the nipples. These waterers were a switch from double walled metal waterers. I had to buy the tote $9.00, the heater $17, the heater cage $10 and the nipples $1.50 each and essentially got 2 waterers. The bucket waterer cost were the aquarium heater $15 and three nipples @ $1.50 each.

So far these are working much better than the commercial "heated tin" waterer heater I used on a metal double walled waterer last year. I'm still using it, but in a bigger building that doesn't get as cold as the coops. I've still had to break ice on it in the mornings though.

 

[NonnasBabies]

Great job!!

Thanks for the ideas!!

 

[kuntrychick]

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Those look GREAT! What wattage is your aquarium heater & the stock tank heater?

 

[jaj121159]

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The aquarium heater is designed for a 2 to 15 gallon aquarium and I believe is a 25 watt heater. I'm not sure of the wattage for the livestock tank heater, but it is the smallest (and the cheapest) they sell at the local feed stores. I haven't gotten a electric bill since I turned them on (very warm fall so far), but I'm sure they are cheaper than running 250 watt heat lamps in four coops.

 

[kuntrychick]

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The aquarium heater is designed for a 2 to 15 gallon aquarium and I believe is a 25 watt heater. I'm not sure of the wattage for the livestock tank heater, but it is the smallest (and the cheapest) they sell at the local feed stores. I haven't gotten a electric bill since I turned them on (very warm fall so far), but I'm sure they are cheaper than running 250 watt heat lamps in four coops.

With the aquarium heater do you need to use a thermocube?

 

[jaj121159]

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It may not be a bad idea, but as of yet I haven't. The aquarium heater keeps the water at around 65 degrees. A little warmer than necessary and the heater is running a lot.

 

[50+Buff_Orphingtons]

that is really neat! i like the 5 gallon bucket idea!

 

[erinszoo]

I like the tote idea. I could use that to provide water in the house and out in the yard at the same time without having to move waterers around every day. After finding ice on our waterers this morning for the first time, we've got to do something about heating them now.

 

[zekii]

How safe are the livestock heaters in plastic buckets ? I have a 5 gallon plastic nipple waterer, and need either a aquarium or livestock heater to keep it from
freezing.

 

[jaj121159]

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One of the reasons I went with the tote was to be able to fit the livestock heater with the protective cage on it. The cage won't fit in a bucket. The cage is designed to use the heater with plastic.