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

[jimmywalt]

I like the aquarium heater idea. i didn't know there was a submersible one. How much did that cost? I'm cheap and trying to find an inexpensive birdbath heater, but, they're 30 bucks or so. So far my little set up cost around 25 dollars. The pump is the most expensive @ 17 bucks.

Walmart $14.94
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tetra-Heater-1-ct/10291808

Good for 5 to 15 gallons.

 

[jimmywalt]

New modification.............. Bucket was too big for the location I was going to use it and power was too far away. So I decided to put it "inside" the coop (yes, I know that might not be advisable due to humidity, but it's the best I can do).

I also changed it to be made from a rectangular laundry soap bucket which will have a smaller footprint.

I put it in the coop to take these pictures and try out the size/location. It's right next to my 5 gallon bucket feeder which has been working perfectly for over a month. I blocked the door (seen on the right so the chickens couldn't get in when I was in there). You can also see the egg boxes to the left and the web cam above the water bucket. The picture was taken from outside the clean-out door.

Also included pictures of what the bubbler (Harbor Freight $5.99) and heater (Walmart $14.94) look like inside the round 5 gallon bucket (I'll move these to my rectangular waterer).

 

[Spud Chicken]

When I make one I'll use an old cooler that way the holding tank is insulated.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Watering
For along time I used heater tape around a bucket with chicken watering nipples. It worked excellent. However me being me I neglected to change the water as often as I should.

Last year I switched to white rubber contains the wife found somewhere. They freeze solid every night but the ice just pops out of them in the morning and I replenish them with fresh warm water. They have black ones at the feed store that are similar but larger than mine.

The chickens congregate around them like people having their morning coffee. The only draw back is my yard is pepper with small ice bergs the size of the buckets.

April looks after that however..

 

[the43k]

do you think you need that bubbler with the heater? since its on the bottom and heat will rise, I wouldn't think it would be a problem.

 

[jimmywalt]

do you think you need that bubbler with the heater? since its on the bottom and heat will rise, I wouldn't think it would be a problem.

I'm really not sure, especially since the bucket will only have about 2 gallons of water. But I know moving water is harder to freeze, and it will circulate it much better, so I figured for $4.50 (after coupon) I might as well purchase it. Not actually sure if I'll end up using it or not.

 

[newpioneer75]

Put my waterer in this past weekend. All seems to be going ok so far. One of my ladies likes to use the pvc pipe as a perch, so I'll have to figure out something there. I dont want to take the chance of it springing a leak with a 5 lb. bird jumping on it. I did support the end of it with some wire. It probably feels pretty nice because its heated. The temp has been dipping down to around 30 at night.

 

[aart]

Put my waterer in this past weekend. All seems to be going ok so far. One of my ladies likes to use the pvc pipe as a perch, so I'll have to figure out something there. I dont want to take the chance of it springing a leak with a 5 lb. bird jumping on it. I did support the end of it with some wire. It probably feels pretty nice because its heated. The temp has been dipping down to around 30 at night.

Do you have a pic of it installed?
Maybe you could put a slanted board over it?

 

[Robert M]

There's not a lot of rocket science to Winter watering. In the coop, use one of the large watering cans, put a cheap, waterproof heating pad on the floor (you can get these at Wal*Mart, just make sure you don't get the kind that cuts off after 2 hours), set it on medium and cover with a piece of pasteboard, set the waterer on top of it, and you have a non-freezable watering station. You can use several on one 15A lighting circuit.

Make sure you don't leave your cords where chickens, ducks, quail, etc., can't peck them. They don't know any better... we are supposed to. A GFI circuit would be ideal.

Why waste a lot of $$$ on a "system", especially when you may not be able to afford such an expensive luxury.

If you need an extension cord, you can get an inexpensive 3-wire one at ACE Hardware. A 2-wire cord will not work on a GFI. It needs to have the "ground/earth" prong.

 

[farmchickutah]

My problem is that the coop is not close to my tap and the hose freezes, so we have to carry water out by bucket and watering 60 hens requires a few bucket loads!