Watering your chickens in the winter

[RoosterML]

This does require electricity but has worked really well for me last year. I will be using it again this year. Submersible Aquarium Heater its plastic so no broken glass to worry about, has adjustable heat setting. I plug it into a thermo cube so it only comes on at i believe it is 34*. Ordered from good old Amazon for fairly cheap. They do have different wattage units in case someone needs some more juice. Last year i had tube type homemade waterers made from 4" PVC that held roughly 4 gals. The water inside the tube never froze but my little red drinking cups on the outside did. This year i plan on using the same heater with the standard poultry waterer that you buy from Tractor Supply 3.5 gallon ones.
Here is a picture of the heater i used:

 

[sdiver40]

I'm not sure how much your willing to spend. BUT what works for me is, I use a stock tank heater in a cooler. I plumed in a fish pond pump and circulate the water thru pvc pipe. I tried plastic water nipples but they would still freeze. I swapped them out for all stainless steel nipples. 2 winters now and not 1 nipple has frozen. The warm water keeps the all metal nipples from freezing. Plus I like not having to fill it but ever other day.

 

[Saaniya]

This freaks me in winters lol cause in the morning water is too chill that my rooster didn't like to drink

So I warm their water a bit

 

[Mosey2003]

Update on the K & H Pail Deicer - it IS working. We've been in the low 30s daytime and 20 at night and the water is not freezing, even though other water sources are. It's not hot anytime I touch it though, so it must cycle on and off in some pre-set time cycle. I did print the warranty and my receipt though, so if it DOES stop working at any point in the next 2 years, I'll get a new one.

 

[R2elk]

Update on the K & H Pail Deicer - it IS working. We've been in the low 30s daytime and 20 at night and the water is not freezing, even though other water sources are. It's not hot anytime I touch it though, so it must cycle on and off in some pre-set time cycle. I did print the warranty and my receipt though, so if it DOES stop working at any point in the next 2 years, I'll get a new one.

They cycle on and off based on the temperature where the sensor is located which may or may not be based on the air temperature. When properly working the water should never get hot. The sensors eventually fail. If they fail in the open position, they will not heat and the water will freeze. If they fail in the closed position, the heater will work continuously. There won't be any ice but the electric bill will go way up.

 

[Mosey2003]

They cycle on and off based on the temperature where the sensor is located which may or may not be based on the air temperature. When properly working the water should never get hot. The sensors eventually fail. If they fail in the open position, they will not heat and the water will freeze. If they fail in the closed position, the heater will work continuously. There won't be any ice but the electric bill will go way up.

Yes, that's what I've figured. I've only ever used the heated buckets and bowls before, which were warm continuously when it was under 40 degrees, so I just assumed the submersible heater would work the same way. Obviously not lol

 

[R2elk]

Yes, that's what I've figured. I've only ever used the heated buckets and bowls before, which were warm continuously when it was under 40 degrees, so I just assumed the submersible heater would work the same way. Obviously not lol

The heated water bowls and heated buckets do not have a submersible heater in them. The buckets have a false bottom which contains the heater. They are limited in the amount of heat they can put out because if they didn't limit the heat, they would melt the bucket.

 

[Mosey2003]

The heated water bowls and heated buckets do not have a submersible heater in them. The buckets have a false bottom which contains the heater. They are limited in the amount of heat they can put out because if they y didn't limit the heat, they would melt the bucket.

I understand that.

 

[Relleoms]

I’ve been very pleased with this heated bucket, and they’ve made improvements for this year; it now hangs! Worked well for me last winter at -29*f. https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/heated-poultry-waterer

 

[Mosey2003]

If Premier 1 would make a 5 or 6 gallon heated nipple bucket, I'd absolutely just buy a couple. I can't see spending the money on less than 5 gallons for myself though, half the idea is that I won't have to haul water daily.