My New Heated Waterer

[COChix]

Update.....hit our lowest yet at -4F about 8am this morning....water heater running strong!!!
Chickens aren't too happy but at least they are not thirsty....wonders if the warm water gives them any comfort?
Doesn't seem to be using much more power either.
It's been below 10 degrees for the last 48 hours or so.....very windy and we got about a foot of snow on the ground.

Glad not to have one more thing to fix this week after fixing:
-boiler pump.
-mailbox knocked off from plow wash....
.....and today the snow thrower took a dump just after clearing about 8" off the driveway with another foot coming in the next 24 hours.
Good thing I'm a Jill of all Skills!

Hey Aart, thanks for posting this thread and taking pics! I have been researching heated waterer for our birds and think I have settled on the horizontal nipples, bucket, tank heater and a thermal cube system for our gang. I am curious how the new aquarium heater has been working for you? What is the coldest temp you have had in Michigan so far?

We are in Colorado and we got down to -15 one night. I am facing wrist surgery in a couple weeks and need to streamline the chickens feed and water situation to make it easier on my BF. So have been reading all I can about waterers in cold climates.

@Pdirt can you give me the model number of the de-iced you wre talking about?

 

[aart]

Haven't gone lower than -4F yet.....tho there's a -12F night forecast for next week....I will update again then.

 

[aart]

Was about -12F at 7 am this morning.....heater still holding up!!

There are some stalactites hanging off the foam and concrete blocks from messy drinkers,
but as long as the chickens don't put their tongues on them I don't think it's a problem....lol!!

What a relief it is to have that thing out there, just top it off with about 1/2 gallon of warm water each morning and good to go!

 

[COChix]

Nice, glad it did well with the cold. Have my Horizontal nipples and heater on order. Will be putting together hopefully before Feb.

 

[aart]

Well, between weather dot com and my 3 thermometers we got down to between -20F and -12F early this morning.
Heater still kicking, Yayy!!

Glad of the warming trend starting tomorrow.

 

[RonP]

Well, between weather dot com and my 3 thermometers we got down to between -20F and -12F early this morning.
Heater still kicking, Yayy!!

Glad of the warming trend starting tomorrow.

I can't imagine....

 

[COChix]

Well, between weather dot com and my 3 thermometers we got down to between -20F and -12F early this morning.
Heater still kicking, Yayy!!

Glad of the warming trend starting tomorrow.

Yikes that is cold! Do your chickens go outisde much when it is that cold? Ours will go out if they have a straw pathway to their free range spot. Glad your heater is holding up, I went with the same heate that Pdirt recommended as well as reviews from others who live in Colorado that said they are great. Will have post pics once I comokete the project.

 

[aart]

Quote: No, they don't go out at all, I often won't even open the pop door unless it's above 10F.
Even then some won't venture out onto the snow, even if I do put some straw down, but some will hang out under the coop.

 

[COChix]

No, they don't go out at all, I often won't even open the pop door unless it's above 10F.
Even then some won't venture out onto the snow, even if I do put some straw down, but some will hang out under the coop.

Sorry for my typos in the previous post. Aren't chickens funny, we had one decide she didn't want to walk in the snow to the free range spot. So she flew which was great in theory, she landed in a field of snow and then became unable to move, maybe from fear of snow? Don't know, but she is also blind in one eye, so I let her be for 30 minutes and she never moved, so I had to go an rescue her. Silly girl. Anyway what breeds do you have? We have a mixed flock all cold hardy breeds.

 

[aart]

Welsummer cockerel.
Welsummer pullet.
2 Lt Brahma pullets
2 EE pullets(one blue and one green layer)
Olive Egger pullet (EE over amberlink)

2 Lt Brahma hens
and 6 mixed mutt hens of Aussie, Cochin, Wynadotte origin....one of whom is broody.