Recommendations for Rain Barrel Heater

[MilesFluffybutt]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a submergible heater for a rain barrel? I'm hoping to avoid lugging water from the house to the coops all winter. I'll also take recommendations on the barrel itself.

Thank you!

 

[paneubert]

Stock tank heater. Assuming you have a big enough access hole to get it in the barrel.

 

[blackdog043]

Here's a 14 gal drum I bought from Amazon. I use horizontal nipples. You could use this stock tank deicer to keep it from freezing, it works for up to 25 gallons. You could drill a hole in the side, up near the top, to run the cord through.

I will not be using this waterer for the couple colder months we have in my location. (not worth drilling a hole in it) I will use my five gallon nipple waterer, that's inside the coop, with the same deicer I referenced. I use gallon milk jugs to refill the five gallon in colder months.

 

[MilesFluffybutt]

Thank you both for you prompt replies. I live in northern VT where it can be -20 for weeks at a time.

I use wall mounted baby pig waterers in the coops because it's the only thing the chickens haven't knocked over and my cross-beaks can drink from them. I kept the waterers under the lights last year to keep the water from freezing. As you can imagine, my light be was crazy high and the chickens adjusted to the heat - not good if I had lost power.

So I'm hoping this setup will work. Again, thank you both!

 

[MilesFluffybutt]

@blackdog043 Would the barrel you recommend fit this stand?

 

[blackdog043]

The bottom of the blue barrel is 12 3/4 inches, so it might be to big. It says it fits a 26 inch diameter base. I wouldn't trust the three piece design of that stand anyway. I used cap blocks and one 12 inch round paver block on top, to set the barrel on and it's sturdy. I put the bottom block down on the dirt and built up to the height I wanted.

 

[MilesFluffybutt]

Hmmmm... Good points. I'll get crafty and make a stand for it.