on nipple waterers freezing i do not think they will, i know my heated rabbit bottles do not and its the same kind of thing. plus mine are in the coop and out of the cold wind. even with not heating my coop it stays warm out there, this new coop even more because its not on the north side, it was 73 degrees in the coop last night with my huge vents mostly open. i cant remember but i think chickens put out like 12 watts of heat each.