Retired firefighter now raising chickens

[tcombs01]

Hey gang, looking for a reliable easy to use and set up chicken water supply device that plugs in and keeps water from freezing. So far Ive used 2 different devices and the violent tempertature chang here in Indiana just kills em. They'll work for a while but then freeze up when it dips down in temperature

 

[RECKLESSTEEGAN2011]

I think you should buy a bucket waterer (I have one)

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.

I use a heated base waterer.

It is thermostatically controlled but I still unplug it during the summer.

 

[dawg53]

Welcome to BYC.

 

[thecatumbrella]

Welcome in! I use the Premier 1 heated waterer. It's a little bit of an investment, but the thing is built like a tank and is rated to -20F (which we get in NH). I actually have two for easy swap outs.

 

[Joey S]

Hey gang, looking for a reliable easy to use and set up chicken water supply device that plugs in and keeps water from freezing. So far Ive used 2 different devices and the violent tempertature chang here in Indiana just kills em. They'll work for a while but then freeze up when it dips down in temperature

I'm actually just using a heated dog water bowl and it's working great. The only downside is that I have to refill the bowl every 2 days. I currently am down to 2 chickens (I lost 2 to predators at the end of the summer), but I'm sure there are different sizes of these types of bowls that you can buy and that you can find one that fits your needs. I'm also located in Indiana, so I feel your pain!

 

[fldiver97]

Depends on the size of your flock but submerging a bird bath heater in a water container, using a heated waterer base or a waterer with a built in heater are some options. Most of these things can either be connected to a thermacube ( I think that’s what they’re called) or they are made to turn on at a certain temperature.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hiya, and welcome to BYC!

We have five 5-gallon nipple waterers in the coops, (heated to 40F) but outside in the growout pens we have 2-gallon heated nipple ones.

Chewy has them and most farm stores. They make 3-gallon ones too. When we had the polar vortex a couple winters ago where it got to -30Fs, one started to freeze up. We thawed it and wrapped in a quilt, and it made it. Otherwise, those are good to subzero most of the time.

For the ducks, they have a 2-gallon heated bucket for winter. The dogs have one of those too.

In a pinch, we've got two fish tank heaters that work well too. One's going on its third year.

We're glad you're here!