What is the best heated water bowl?

[black_cat]

The feed stores will carry heated dog bowls too, and they can come in different sizes. The one problem is having birds walk into one, and get frozen feet, or those roosters with big wattles. The muffs on EEs and SFs haven't been an issue here.
Last winter we had one cockerel, our first bird ever, have frozen toes. I don't know what he did, but it was ugly.
We have the dog water dish at the barn, for our barn cat, and any chickens who make the trip there in winter.
And having safe electrical outlets at the coop will be so worth it for you!
Mary

I will see how they use a large water bowl weighed down with a rock. Hopefully they will not walk into it. Good that beards/muffs aren't an issue. I was thinking that I'd run extension cords up the yard...I have no idea how to wire a coop to be safely powered.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I think I have the same one as mentioned above except I got mine on Chewy and I got a much bigger size. 1.5 gallons. It works great and is very easy to wipe out and clean. They have other sizes too and a few other products if you search.

https://www.chewy.com/kh-pet-products-thermal-bowl-plastic/dp/54452

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

We use a heated dog bowl as well. The biggest issue I can attest to it is that feces and dirt get in it because they will try to perch on it to get a drink. The water stays clean for about 2 days and then we have to change it out. We bought one at tractor supply several years ago. Get the warranty if you go that route. We had a particularly harsh winter with a couple of days dipping the -20 degree range. It was too much for it and it shorted out. Took it back with the warranty and got a brand new one. No problems for the rest of the year or the following winter. The warranty is still good too.

 

[Folly's place]

We ran an outdoor electric line in conduit out to the coop, and set up outlets with GFIs. Then, a few years ago, we had a licensed electrician get everything up to code out there, with more outlets, all lines in conduit, and a buried line to the coop. We love it, our farm insurance company loves it, and it's as safe as it can be done.
Mary

 

[black_cat]

We ran an outdoor electric line in conduit out to the coop, and set up outlets with GFIs. The, a few years ago, we had a licensed electrician get everything up to code out there, with more outlets, all lines in conduit, and a buried line to the coop. We love it, our farm insurance company loves it, and it's as safe as it can be done.
Mary

The only parts of that paragraph that I understand are 'outlets' and 'licensed electrician'. Yeah....I don't think that my parents are paying anyone to make our chicken coop electric. I wish!

 

[Flockincrazy]

Ooh, that's a good idea! Do you think I could use it in a gravity fed waterer?

View attachment 2332588

Yes that is what i used to have the only thing you can't use it in is medal it will boil the water literally we did an experiment when we first got them and put one in a medal dish and one in plastic the medal dish heated up to boiling point with bubbles plastic it was fine

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

The only parts of that paragraph that I understand are 'outlets' and 'licensed electrician'. Yeah....I don't think that my parents are paying anyone to make our chicken coop electric. I wish!

GFIs are Ground Fault Indicator outlets. By building code you are required to have them within so many feet of a water source. If you walk in your bathroom you will probably see them by your sink. Theyre the plug in outlets with little buttons. Essentially what they do it that if there is a short circuit for whatever reason they shut off power to that outlet instead of tripping the house breaker. You ever bern running the hair dryer and it just stops working? You hit that little reset button and it works. Otherwise you'd have no power in your bathroom and have to go find the breaker box and flip the switch.

Hope that makes sense. My fiancee is an electrician

 

[NatJ]

We use a heated dog bowl as well. The biggest issue I can attest to it is that feces and dirt get in it because they will try to perch on it to get a drink. The water stays clean for about 2 days and then we have to change it out.

Two days? I grew up dumping & refilling chicken water every morning and evening, whether it needed it or not--that's just the way my family cared for animals. The idea of going two days without dumping it seems strange to me!

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Two days? I grew up dumping & refilling chicken water every morning and evening, whether it needed it or not--that's just the way my family cared for animals. The idea of going two days without dumping it seems strange to me!

It really depends on if it gets dirty or not. If I notice anything in the bowl other than water I dump it and wash it. Just my observation. Honestly I would like to switch to something that doesnt need cleaning as frequently like a gravity fed waterer but Ive seen horrible reviews. I'd like to make my own if anyone has plans posted for one

 

[AntiqueB]

I always refilled pet water bowls every day, as well. Now with my new chickens, I'm still in the habit. I change their water a couple times a day!