Where did they come from???

[venymae]

I like this idea very much. Do you drill a hole in the bucket to run the cord? If so...where on the bucket? Do you happen to have a picture of your set up? I'm a visual learner...and things make more sense to me when I see it.

Would my local Ag store carry this...or is this an online thing?

Yes, we did drill a hole for the cord, which also doubles as the air intake hole (can't have a vacuum with nipples). The heater we bought at a local ag store, so yours should have something similar. We set our buckets on a cinderblock and brick base, but a nice log or stump would work just as well!

 

[pennyJo1960]

we use a cinder block under each bucket

 

[KettermanHillCoop]

Yes, we did drill a hole for the cord, which also doubles as the air intake hole (can't have a vacuum with nipples). The heater we bought at a local ag store, so yours should have something similar. We set our buckets on a cinderblock and brick base, but a nice log or stump would work just as well!

If you get a chance, shoot a picture of your contraption. This sounds like a great watering solution for me.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Just keep that whole towards the top

 

[rjohns39]

Here's a pic of one. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/indiana-bycers-here.730582/page-5295#post-19042152 @aart has an interesting article about building and trying different things.

 

[KettermanHillCoop]

Here's a pic of one. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/indiana-bycers-here.730582/page-5295#post-19042152 @aart has an interesting article about building and trying different things.

aart is a wealth of information! I'll be on her nerves soon enough with all my questions.

 

[WVduckchick]

Another option for your consideration -- I use pvc piping with vertical nipples. I have a piece of "heat cable" threaded inside the pipe. **(Heat tape is usually not submersible, but heat cable can be, if you check the packaging for the right grade.
Anyway, I fill from outside the pens. It keeps the water fluid down to about 25 degrees outside. The nipples froze up last year when it got colder than that, but the water didn't totally freeze.

These pictures were when we first installed the pipe, with the heat cable taped to the outside, but it didn't keep the water from freezing. Later, I drilled a hole, about where the orange plug thingy is on the left upright section, and pushed the cable inside the pipe.
The pipe goes through the fence, under 2 coops, and supplies 2 separate pens of chickens.



In this pic, you can see the cable goes in, right around where the blue electrical tape is. (an extension cord is dangling there, its run to another typical heated waterer, until we could see if this would work.) The cable isn't plugged in, this was taken in April, so it was not freezing at the time.

 

[pennyJo1960]

If you get a chance, shoot a picture of your contraption. This sounds like a great watering solution for me.

have to re-figure mine is under shavings now all dirty darn girls and their indoor dust baths kicking dirt from hell to breakfast buried half the nipples

 

[KettermanHillCoop]

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

 

[rjohns39]

Happy Thanksgiving