water for the winter

[Fowl97]

i have 2 questions...
one is where can i get a heated waterer online for four birds that i dont have to refill every day
two is would it be ok if i bought a fish tank heater and put it in a waterer would there be any problems ( if i cant find an online one )

any advise would be appreicated

 

[teach1rusl]

Don't know about the fishtank heater.. But tractor supply has the heated water base if you have the metal waterer (which they also sell). I would google to find other options...there are tons of different kinds out there....

 

[bcf45]

fish tank heater sounds like a good idea

 

[Tuffoldhen]

A heated dog water dish works well for small flocks.

 

[maine chicks]

I would not trust the fish tank heater-too easily broken-glass and metal would not be good for the birds. I had some break in fish tank with fish hitting them-a birds beak would be disaster. IMO

 

[PandoraTaylor]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=3220009

 

[Chicksdigit]

Don't they burn up if there is no water? I mean if the chickens drink all the water does it burn up?

 

[can you hear me now?]

Well that was what I was gonna say. I am pretty sure the fish tank heaters would burn up if you run out of water in them. I had fancied trying to use one too but I remembered that they would get really hot if there is no water covering them. If you had a self waterer, you may consider using one. If not i would suggest using something else. I am positive you can get a heated waterer at TSC but IMO they are pricey. I don't know what they are called that I have but I use these littel electric heaters that I found at a rummage sale. They arent big and don't get really hot but they do the trick.

 

[2DogsFarm]

I got a heated pet dish - about 1gal capacity - at Menard's on sale for $12.

It is not as substantial as the one I got from TSC for barncat, which cost 2X that+, but it has the same safety features - cord is covered by metal coil and turns off if empty or water gets above 40degrees.

The new plastic heated waterers look like a good deal if you have the $$ to spend.

 

[TcherDawn]

I have a heated plastic waterer. I have to say,maybe it is just me being a clutz, but it is messy to use. When you turn it over, water splashes everywhere, and it fills to the tippy top of the rim within seconds. So I get it all over myself and my barn floor, then I spill it getting it into the coop. Then I have to make darn sure I dry my hands off completely before I plug it in. I will just "love" getting wet when it is 20 below zero out. Lol. If you do buy one of the plastic models, try it out before you throw away your receipt. Lesson learned.

A pic of the kind of waterer I am speaking of: