Vertical (gravity) vs. horizontal (spring loaded) watering nipples

[iwiw60]

I have a 5 gallon bucket with horizontal nipples. I just installed the Wild birds unlimited" brand bird bath de-icer. It works perfectly, floats in the water, and is incased to prevent melting the plastic.

If it floats in the water how is it going to prevent freeze-ups at the bottom where the nipples are? Confused...do you have a pic?

 

[pdirt]

I have a 5 gallon bucket with horizontal nipples. I just installed the Wild birds unlimited" brand bird bath de-icer. It works perfectly, floats in the water, and is incased to prevent melting the plastic.

If it floats in the water how is it going to prevent freeze-ups at the bottom where the nipples are? Confused...do you have a pic?

My deicer has an optional float ring, which I haven't used. But it should work just as well as having it sink to the bottom. If the water is thawed, the nipples wont freeze up. These horizontal nipples just don't freeze up like the vertical ones do.

 

[aart]

I would think it might be better for it NOT to float....depending on the depth of the water and the ambient temperature. Might not make a difference in certain climes, could make a difference in others.

The metal pins conduct cold from the outside and freeze all around the pin inside and out, I've seen that be the only ice inside a jug with HN's (without a heater).

 

[debp]

I just got (haven't opened box yet) a 250 watt stock tank deicer that looks just like the one you posted pics of, iwiw60, but it is teflon coated. That would concern me for cooking, but I doubt it wold be a problem for chickens. I believe I"ve read that overheated teflon is very toxic to birds, however. Has anyone used a teflon coated water heater? It has a safety shut off, so it should not get terribly hot, I would think. Still....

 

[Leahs Mom]

I just got (haven't opened box yet) a 250 watt stock tank deicer that looks just like the one you posted pics of, iwiw60, but it is teflon coated. That would concern me for cooking, but I doubt it wold be a problem for chickens. I believe I"ve read that overheated teflon is very toxic to birds, however. Has anyone used a teflon coated water heater? It has a safety shut off, so it should not get terribly hot, I would think. Still....

My personal motto is: When in doubt, don't.

 

[iwiw60]

I just got (haven't opened box yet) a 250 watt stock tank deicer that looks just like the one you posted pics of, iwiw60, but it is teflon coated. That would concern me for cooking, but I doubt it wold be a problem for chickens. I believe I"ve read that overheated teflon is very toxic to birds, however. Has anyone used a teflon coated water heater? It has a safety shut off, so it should not get terribly hot, I would think. Still....

Mine's teflon-coated, too. That pic I posted was an 'example' .... the teflon coated ones are top quality!

 

[pdirt]

I just got (haven't opened box yet) a 250 watt stock tank deicer that looks just like the one you posted pics of, iwiw60, but it is teflon coated. That would concern me for cooking, but I doubt it wold be a problem for chickens. I believe I"ve read that overheated teflon is very toxic to birds, however. Has anyone used a teflon coated water heater? It has a safety shut off, so it should not get terribly hot, I would think. Still....

I'm not a fan of teflon either. I never use it in cooking except one pan I use a couple times a year for backpacking. IIRC, though, I think it takes something like 500F+ in order for the teflon to off gas and be toxic. That ain't going to happen in your bucket. It certainly won't happen with the device being in water and I doubt those things would get that hot if you ever did run out of water. It does have an auto safety off feature, but I don't know how long dry or hot they would need to get for that to happen. Just don't ever let it happen, for fire safety and perhaps the teflon reason too.

Last winter we went away for a week and I came home to an aquarium heater sizzling in the last bits of water. Scary. This winter we have two heated nipple buckets should we be away that long again.

 

[debp]

I tend to agree with pdirt and iwiw60, even though we use no teflon or other stick-pans. And, and think my only easy alternative (and I need easy) is aluminum. Leah's mom, what have you seen that makes you worry that the amount of aluminum leached in drinking water would be problematic for chickens?

 

[WestNashChick]

If it floats in the water how is it going to prevent freeze-ups at the bottom where the nipples are? Confused...do you have a pic?

I guess the heat just radiates throughout the water. Its just 5 gallons or less of water.

 

[pginsber]

Hi !!
Ok, you got my attention. How do you use heating tape to keep water from freezing?
I have a heat base I am sick of using and even it can't help during -10 or more below.
The polar vortexes came thru here 2x last Jan. at -30 below wind-chill each time.
I need a better way.
Please share,
Thanks,
Karen
(don't they peck the heat tape?)

We have nipples on PVC, and run the heat tape on the PVC and the reservoir bucket. The chickens don't peck the heat tape or the electrical tape that holds the heat tape to the PVC. They did decimate the foam pipe insulation, so that's not there anymore.