Heated waterer suggestions?
 

Does anyone have any suggestions re: which heated waterers work best? I have been using the plastic waterers with the red heated base but those don't seem to last more than one winter. I have 175 hens I need to supply fresh, warm water but do not have a well/pump in the barn.

I have the 8 gallon metal fount waterers that I use in the summer, but I'm skeptical the heated base you can buy for it would keep the water from freezing in our temps. It is frequently below zero in my neck of the woods for several months in a row.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

We use a metal heater base that sits on top of cinder blocks. I then set the metal 5-gallon waterers on the heater base. We also don't have water available in our coop, but we do have electric.

I have purchased the heater bases at Fleet Farm or other farm-type retailers. I think I spent under $40 on each.

We use the base heaters under 5 gallon fonts. Wow...you only get one year from the palstic heated ones?? I wonder if that's the same kind the people went to that I got super deal on some the metal base heaters and fonts last spring???
NOt reccomended but last winter we used the same water heating for the goose shelter that's pretty open. Just unplug the heater before you dig it outta the snow during or after a nasty snow storm.

Google "Cookie tin heater" for some basic ideas, and keep in mind it's easy to modify the design to fit your needs

I dont have that many chickens but I have for the past 4 years used a heated dog water bowl and its still working good. I hope it does this year also but havent had to plug it in yet. If not it has paid for itself by last ing as long as it has. I have another 1 for a backup but havent had to get it out yet. Guess we will see soon huh? its just a thought as they do last for a long time.

The Borean Heater
 

unintentional duplicate

The Borean Heater
 

Some years back there was a lady from Tahlequah, Ok who posted here. She described a home-made heater that is easily made. It consisted of nothing more than a wooden square made of four pieces of 2x 6, a covering made of galvanized roof flashing and a light fixture mounted inside that open box. Cost is negligible; most people will have to buy little of the materiel.

To make it one needs only: 2 pieces 2x6, eighteen inches long
2 " 2x6 fifteen inches long
1 piece galvanized roof flashing 24" x 24
1 electrical box
1 light socket
1 hundred watt bulb
1 electrical cord (I save the cords off junked appliances) Screws or nails enough to assemble

Make the square box and fold down the galvanized flashing over it, making a tin top. Leave the bottom open. Fasten the galvanized metal down securely with screws or nails. You will be placing a heavy water dish on it.

Drill a hole in one side of the box large enough to allow the cord to enter. Drill slightly upward toward the galvanized top so that water on the cord does not drip inside.

Install the electrical box and light socket next to the hole you drilled and connect the cord to the socket. install the light bulb.

Put the thing where you want it, plug it in, place your waterer on it. Mine will keep water from freezing in below zero weather. In extreme weather it will freeze around the edges but will remain open in the center over the bulb. I use a rubber horse feed pan as a water dish in winter.

That's pretty much what a "Cookie Tin " heater is.

A light bulb in a box with a metal top.

I'd suggest closing the box completely though, because if it's open, mice will nest in it for the warmth.

If you use one of these, you don't need an electrical box.

It just plugs into a drop cord:
http://cache1.bigcartel.com/product_.../adapter_1.jpg

The cookie tin
 

I've no idea what a cookie tin heater costs ready-made, but I had enough scrap around to build mine. I did buy $2.40 worth of galvanized flashing, which was cheap at the time.

Since I lift my heater now and then mice are not a problem--the heater is outdoors. It could easily be boxed in though.

I've never seen one of the plug in light sockets, but since I save electrical cords off old appliances it was cheaper for me to use an old electrical box and a plastic overhead light fixture left over from wiring the barn.

The two by six construction, sitting flat on the ground, leaves little place for the heat to go except up through the bottom of the water pan. A remarkably efficient device for almost no expense. Over the winter electricity costs more than the box. One of the temperature-sensitive plugs costs more than the electricity to run the heater all winter in this area. I use one for my wellhouse heater, but not on the water pans.

Thank you for the suggestions. Until I get the time to build this (or bribe the DH w/beer to do it) I bought the heated waterer base as I just didn't want to throw more money away on another heavy plastic waterer. I had over a period of 6 years purchased 8 of the plastic ones and I'm down to 2 that still work.

We put one large square paver on the floor drilled a hole through a chimney block and installed a light fixture and 100W bulb. Put that on top of the paver and put another paver on top of that.
Works fine with plastic waterers.

Paver on bottom, paver on top
 

Sammyd: We are all singing out of the same hymnal here, just different materiels. How thick and what were the other dimensions of your pavers?

I use a 5 gallon plastic water and wrap it with a length of electric heat tape.

I believe they're 2 x 16, been a while and we aren't running any chickens this winter
I was worried about the lamp producing too much heat and causing problems with the plastic waterers if I used tin (the tin heaters at Fleet are not recommended for plastic), the paver evened out the heat to the plastic base

I would use the one you bought instead of using a 100 watt bulb. Just because that one has a temperature sensor and will only turn on when needed. I also recommend keeping it inside, as that will lower how much it has to run also.

I've used those waterers for 3 years now. The only problem I had with one was the thermostat went bloop, and I pulled the base open and soldered a new on in it. I also have my waterers fitted with a techfoil "top hat" which contains the warmth and makes the unit run less...probably why mine has lasted as long. And I don't let them run dry before I refill them.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...nstalled-1.jpg

I'm going to build a couple of those light-bulb types though, in case one of mine fails. I keep an extra one on hand in case it does.

A single light bulb won't produce enough heat to harm the plastic.

Use a Thermocube TC-3. It turns on a 35* and off at 45*

http://www.google.com/products/catal...d=0CGoQ8gIwAQ#

http://www.avianaquamiser.com/20110302thermocube.jpg

we use a plug in thermostat to keep ours from running up the electric bill too far

I use a 3 gallon fortex feeder pan and stick a bird bath heater in it. I use a non heated plastic chicken waterers in the warmer months. I have one of those heated base plastic ones that you fill from the bottom and try to get it back together before all the water runs out. I don't use it and would gladly give it to anyone more ambidextrous than I.

Plug in Thermostat
 

Sammyd:

I use a thermocube in my wellhouse, but have never seen a plug in thermostat.

Are they adjustable???? The thermocube works well, but it is the most expensive part of the home-made chicken waterer.

My practice to date has been to simply unplug the heat when the weather is above freezing. The danger there is that I forget to plug the thing back in when the forecast calls for a cold snap.

Regarding the pavers: I use a hard plastic oil drain pan as the water pan on top of the heater box. Although the tin gets quite warm, it is far from hot enough to melt the plastic, especially when the pan is full of water.

Also, when making the home-made heater box, one can adjust the size of the box to the size of the pan that sits on it, thus using the heat more efficiently. The 18-inch square I mentioned above is larger than most pans.

the thermostat is adjustable, found it one day looking around at Menards.
was actually looking for another thermocube when I stumbled across it

Thanks, Sammyd
 

I had no idea such things existed. I will start looking around for one of those as thermocubes are hard to find locally.
Ox

I have three gallon metal buckets for my ducks and I put a bucket heater in them. Most of the winter I can fill them with the hose (and drain it every time), when its really cold I have to haul and dump water into them with a bucket. Not too bad with only 25 ducks. They sit on a raised grate of expanded metal to keep the ice mess down a bit - they ARE ducks after all!