Will a heated bird bath work for water?

[The Luggage]

I need something to keep my girls' water from freezing. The heated chicken waterers I've seen say to use in a dry, enclosed area. That is not an option for me. I need something that can be left out in the elements. I was thinking something like this:

 

[The Luggage]

Oops. Hit Enter too soon.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=9089+8776+23411&pcatid=23411

I could mount it on a 2x4 set up low to the ground.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[WNCcluck]

Absolutely. We have an old self-contained (heating element in the wall of the bird bath) one that we use for the chickens. We got it years ago when we did bird watching data collection for Cornell's Ornithology Lab. We had to stop filling the bird feeders because the bears were a bit too rough on the feeders.

We have our heated bird bath in a circular metal holder sunk into the ground and haven't had any troubles with it at all.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I use a birdbath heater in black rubber tubs. But I don't like them for roosters. The roosters dip their wattles in the water and get frostbitten.