Winter and Summer Watering system w/ waterer nipples and heater.

[jimmywalt]

. So far so good

had a few cold night's and snow just had to break a top layer of ice. I only filled the barrel half up. It's is a nice day today so I'm going to empty it and put fresh water in . Any idea how to keep water from getting yucky? I don't want to give my chickens bad water?

I read at BYC a small piece of copper pipe with the water keeps it from getting bad.

I did that this summer with my 5 gallon waterer and I didn't get any algae or yucky water.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

copper, pennies. helps with alge. try a fish pond store. the have chemicals safe for fish and birds. i belive barley is one

 

[NYcue]

JimmyWalt...

Not only is an aquarium heater not efficient... it's not recommended to be used in a bucket to feed poultry!

The aquarium heater is going to continually heat the entire water container... and it will use lots of energy to do so. The bird bath heater won't... and it's thermostat controlled just to prevent icing... not heat the entire bucket! The unit in your post is controlled and set on one setting... 78 degrees. Lots of electric if you keep your water outside!

 

[jimmywalt]

JimmyWalt...

Not only is an aquarium heater not efficient... it's not recommended to be used in a bucket to feed poultry!

The aquarium heater is going to continually heat the entire water container... and it will use lots of energy to do so. The bird bath heater won't... and it's thermostat controlled just to prevent icing... not heat the entire bucket! The unit in your post is controlled and set on one setting... 78 degrees. Lots of electric if you keep your water outside!

It will only heat the water when the thermocube sends power to the heater. That is when the "air" temp is 35 degrees or less. The heater is 50 watts......... Only 10 watts more than people who use a cookie tin heater with a 40 watt bulb.

I honestly don't think the aquarium heater could get the water to 76 degrees on days that's it's 20 degrees outside. Also, my waterer is in the coop, so even if it does get warm (say 50 degrees) well that might help heat my little coop up a couple degrees.

Aquarium heater was only $15 bucks.... 1/2 the price of a bird bath heater from what I find.

I'm happy with my set up......... even if it costs a few more cents a day.

Please post a link if you know where to purchase a bird bath heater for $15 or $20 and maybe I'll reconsider........... Thanks!

 

[jetdog]

This is what I use in my 5 gallon bucket with nipples, has a thermostat built in and will keep 30 gallons of water thawed. It was a little pricey but piece of mind for me, it was 12 degrees here the other morning and I was curious so before work I touched the nipples and water came out fine,probably over kill but it works great.

 

[aart]

It will only heat the water when the thermocube sends power to the heater. That is when the "air" temp is 35 degrees or less. The heater is 50 watts......... Only 10 watts more than people who use a cookie tin heater with a 40 watt bulb.

I honestly don't think the aquarium heater could get the water to 76 degrees on days that's it's 20 degrees outside. Also, my waterer is in the coop, so even if it does get warm (say 50 degrees) well that might help heat my little coop up a couple degrees.

Aquarium heater was only $15 bucks.... 1/2 the price of a bird bath heater from what I find.

I'm happy with my set up......... even if it costs a few more cents a day.

Please post a link if you know where to purchase a bird bath heater for $15 or $20 and maybe I'll reconsider........... Thanks!

Working good so far jimmy?
We had a couple 20-25 degree nights last week and this weekend it's gonna drop again.
Have you put any kind of thermometer in there to see what the water does heat to, just out of curiosity?
You do have a lid on the bucket right, to keep humidity down?

 

[jimmywalt]

Working good so far jimmy?
We had a couple 20-25 degree nights last week and this weekend it's gonna drop again.
Have you put any kind of thermometer in there to see what the water does heat to, just out of curiosity?
You do have a lid on the bucket right, to keep humidity down?

Hello.

Thanks for your post/question.

No I really don't have a good way to keep a thermometer in the water. It's in the back side of my 4'x4' coop and I have to climb in a small hole I made when I built the thing (I should have make the entire side open........ Lesson learned).

Yes I keep a lid on to keep humidity out. There's just a small slit in the corner to run the electrical from the heater and pump.

Here's a look at the bucket from the hole I have to climb in. It's also across from the poop board so I first have to clean that, then throw down newspaper before I climb in. It's a PIA.


Current waterer (Wind Fresh bucket with horizontal nipple in lower right corner)


Old waterer that I traded out for the one above. This pic is a better view from the hole I need to climb in.



See the white square under the window? That's the hole I crawl in. Stupid design..... Totally my fault. I should have made the entire side open. Too late now!

 

[aart]

.......See the white square under the window? That's the hole I crawl in. Stupid design..... Totally my fault. I should have made the entire side open. Too late now!

Add a door on the other side too?

 

[Granny Hatchet]

well, i like your coop. cant the water just stay by the door? its big enough for you to use a rake to pull stuff to you and its never to late, just get another board and do again

 

[newpioneer75]

Quote: I used the exact same aquarium thermometer. Found it at walmart for 15 bucks. I have the 5 gallon bucket with a submersible pump shooting the heated water down to the end of the pvc. It has gotten down to 20 or so at night. The traditional waterer in the coop was frozen solid last night, but, the nipple set up was flowing good. I would guess the water was around 45-50 degrees. So far so good. I think it was a good idea.