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

[NYcue]

JimmyWalt... And how much was the thermocube? You don't need one with the bird bath feeder...

Forget the money I save every month (which will be more than a few cents each month)... I prefer also enjoy my and my birds safety!!! But good luck to you...

 

[newpioneer75]

I'm not sure that I understand why using an aquarium heater would be dangerous for chickens. They are made to be submerged in water that another living creature is using. It does not give off fumes or chemicals into the water. I too was going to use a birdbath heater to heat my water, but, decided to try something else this winter from ideas on this post, that is what it is here for. If it does not work, then we all can learn from each others mistakes. Just because someone has a differing idea does not make it wrong, just different. Isn't that how things get improved on, the sharing of ideas and trial and error. Good luck to everyone this winter. Keep us posted.

 

[jimmywalt]

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

Probably will do that in the spring. Too late now.

The roost is right by the door. Can't have the waterer under it or poop will be all over it.

 

[jimmywalt]

JimmyWalt... And how much was the thermocube? You don't need one with the bird bath feeder...

Forget the money I save every month (which will be more than a few cents each month)... I prefer also enjoy my and my birds safety!!! But good luck to you...

About $12 bucks................. Too late to return it now. I've had it since this summer.

 

[jimmywalt]

My system has been working good so far. Many nights below 30 and the water isn't freezing. Next week many highs will be below freezing so then I'll really see how it's doing!

 

[NYcue]

NewPioneer... "They are made to be submerged in water" ... so you believe if we asked the manufacturer of the aquarium heater if it was safe to be used outside they would say YES? I don't think so... I'm not going to rehash this much discussed topic... there are plenty of good articles both here in BackYardChickens and the Internet on the dangers of using an aquarium heater outside. If you choose to ignore that or the fact that you would be using a product completely different than how it was meant too and in a different environment... as I said Good Luck to you... we always have the Darwin award.

 

[newpioneer75]

Isnt that the beauty of life.. Learning from our mistakes and making things better. But also accepting that other peoples ideas that differ from our own might also be a viable option. Life is not black and white and either is raising chickens. we all can have different coops and runs and waterers and feeders and everyones chickens could be happy and healthy. I am not going to tell someone that they are wrong unless I have made the same mistake and then learned from it. So, has anybody used a submersible aquarium heater to heat chickens water in the winter and had it hurt the chickens in any way? If not, those of us who have, will let everyone else know of the outcome.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

Isnt that the beauty of life.. Learning from our mistakes and making things better. But also accepting that other peoples ideas that differ from our own might also be a viable option. Life is not black and white and either is raising chickens. we all can have different coops and runs and waterers and feeders and everyones chickens could be happy and healthy. I am not going to tell someone that they are wrong unless I have made the same mistake and then learned from it. So, has anybody used a submersible aquarium heater to heat chickens water in the winter and had it hurt the chickens in any way? If not, those of us who have, will let everyone else know of the outcome.

 

[NYcue]

NewPioneer...

So let me get this straight... I recommend to the poster of the article an idea that I use. JimmyWalt then comes along says he has a better solution than mine and writes about it. I point out the differences and the advantages of mine and you get on my case about "other people's ideas"? Really? I hear what you are saying... but you are addressing the wrong person.

Again... many articles here about the dangers aquarium heaters... your choice... but I would point out again the difference between a bird bath heater and a aquarium heater with a thermocube..

1. Cost... they are about the same...
2. Efficiency... bird bath will cost less every month...
3. Safety... Birth bath heaters were designed to be outside in the elements. Aquarium heaters are not... you decide!


If you take any issue to my points... then please speak up. Do you take issue by my pointing out the obvious?

But yes... I take issue to someone providing advice that is less than safe... I think people should speak up about that just like I have seen many articles here about the potential for fire with coop heaters. Do they all catch fire? NO.... but we know that happens.

 

[jimmywalt]

Until the last few posts I didn't know the aquarium heater wasn't an OK idea. Seems that I read about it many spots at BYC and I "figured" it was a good choice.

Now I'm questioning my decision..........

I'd like to do "chicken keeping" as inexpensive as possible. I'm sure I have $300+ into coop construction, plus a whole lot more into all the extras (food, etc). These "eggs" I'm sure are costing me a few dollars EACH! Not really an economical way to get eggs.

I'd love to see some posts where people actually said that it went bad for them (not I heard a friend of a friend of a friend story).

If this is really bad or dangerous than I need to get it out of there!!! I don't want to lose my chickens or have their water freeze.

Thanks for posting. I'll keep watching this thread.