Winter weather is on the way, water heaters in the coop?

[TooCheep]

If it is an all-in one solution or an add-in heater that says it is safe in plastic buckets, then you are okay. These heaters generally have a thermostat that keeps that water just a little above freezing, maybe 40 degrees.

There are a lot of options, but most all of them use basic electrical heaters to keep the water above freezing.

 

[Mountaintop Homestead]

My heated base is for metal. But this one on Amazon says you can use with plastic. View attachment 2401407
GC

Thanks so much, I didn't see that one on Amazon, I'll definitely be looking into that. I appreciate all the help!

 

[Coop deGrace]

I use a large heated dog bowl. I bought two different kinds, and my advice for anyone who is considering buying one is to make sure you get one that does NOT have an on/off switch. So far, my chickens and rabbits have never failed to step on the on/off switch so that the bowl is ALWAYS turned off every day when I go out to the coop.

 

[Sueby]

I have 2 of these also. I like them because no one kicks bedding into them, no wet waddles or combs & the top comes off easily for refills. I just bring a gallon jug of water down with me every few days & top them off.

I’m using this one for 6 pullets. It needs to be refilled every 2 or 3 days. But so far no problems.

 

[FredSG]

My coop proper is 6' wide by 6' long . . . I keep the temperature inside at 50-60 degrees by using a small thermostatically controlled ceramic heater. Sits high on a shelf, protected from the chickens and it will not fall, or create a fire hazard. My source of water for the chickens is a 3 gallon Igloo, actually, the type sold by Chicken Waterer. That's the company name. With the steady coop temperature, the water never freezes.

When my chickens leave the coop proper, they go into the run, where I have a plastic Harris waterer sitting on top of the Harris Heater Base that accepts plastic waterers. Water doesn't freeze.

All is good!

FredSG

 

[Al Gerhart]

A low cost way is to get a cookie tin, usually four or five inches thick, might be 10" in diameter, removable lid. And a cheap light socket and a 60 watt bulb. Cut a hole in it that fits the light socket, silicone it in place and fit a lamp cord to it. Set your metal or plastic feeder on top. I used this for years here in Oklahoma. About the coldest it gets is in the teens, sometimes down to zero during a storm.

Heated dog bowls work too. Fill them with water, sit your metal or plastic waterer on top.

 

[B-Goock]

I have this waterer and so far its been good. I read reviews online of people complaining about the plug on the bottom, but if you just double check that it is in all the way its good.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/farm-innovators-heated-poultry-fount

I've got the same one and over time the plug starts leaking. Easy fix though. i just removed the rubber plug, scratch inside the hole with sandpaper, put a piece of tape over the hole, and filled it with a plastic epoxy. No leaks for 2yrs now and the heater still works.