Made my own water heater

[DiscoverwithDave]

Hello everyone,
So I just built my first coop and it is my first year with chickens. I realized I needed some kind of water drinker that would not freeze. I decided to put something together to prevent water from freezing and that would not cost much.
Full disclosure... I am not an electrician or plumber or building inspector, so this is just for you to be entertained and informed on my idea, but I am not suggesting anyone do the same. I don't want anyone's chicken coop burning down.
Anyway, I bought the metal water drinker from Tractor supply and got a single hole concrete cinder block, a good outdoor extension cord, and an incandescent light bulb. Please see the video link attached to see what I did.
How I keep my chicken Water drinker from freezing.

Thanks for watching and good luck!

 

[RonP]

Great job on your coop!

I once had a water heater built exactly like yours.

In my experience, water condensation developed on the bottom of the metal water heater while in use. When removing the waterier to refill, the condensation would drip, cold water striking the hot bulb and shatter. Glass shards now in the coop...

Just my bad experience, hope this helps.

 

[DiscoverwithDave]

Interesting, thanks for sharing. I have not noticed anything on bottom yet, but will keep an eye out for anything like that.

 

[imnukensc]

Why is the waterer in the coop? Why is any water in the coop? (I can see your other waterer in there, too.) Why not put it in your covered run or under the coop?

 

[MissChick@dee]

Why is the waterer in the coop? Why is any water in the coop? (I can see your other waterer in there, too.) Why not put it in your covered run or under the coop?

I would love to have a coop where I could keep my waterer....so wild birds would not have access to it. Same for feed too. I’m planning on incorporating this into my new coop. You don’t like the idea??

 

[imnukensc]

I would love to have a coop where I could keep my waterer....so wild birds would not have access to it. Same for feed too. I’m planning on incorporating this into my new coop. You don’t like the idea??

If the coop was a walk in, the climate was such that the birds were confined to the coop due to weather, and there was no run that the birds could go into, then I could see having water in the coop, but with a coop that small and being raised, it looks like water in the coop would be a major PITA to me and in the climate the OP is in I would worry about humidity/frostbite with it being in there. Also, I'm old, lazy, and prefer simple and easy. Birds haven't figured out how to use my horizontal nipple waterer in the run and whatever miniscule amount of feed they might eat doesn't bother me.

 

[MissChick@dee]

If the coop was a walk in, the climate was such that the birds were confined to the coop due to weather, and there was no run that the birds could go into, then I could see having water in the coop, but with a coop that small and being raised, it looks like water in the coop would be a major PITA to me and in the climate the OP is in I would worry about humidity/frostbite with it being in there. Also, I'm old, lazy, and prefer simple and easy. Birds haven't figured out how to use my horizontal nipple waterer in the run and whatever miniscule amount of feed they might eat doesn't bother me.

Well I agree with a lot of your points...and I’m old too lol and would rather work smarter than harder. I don’t worry about what they eat (wild birds). But they poop in the waterers & sometimes the feeder. I worry about what diseases they might transmit. And yes...nipple waterers I think would be hard to clean and I just don’t think my girls would figure them out. Dunno I’ll still trying to decide for my next coop. I don’t want to have regrets ya know?

 

[DiscoverwithDave]

I put the water drinker in the coop because it is winter time. Although it has been a mild winter, usually New York winters are quite severe. If outside in winter it would get covered in snow and freeze easier. I did not think about humidity or causing frost bite. It seems well ventilated. So far they have not messed it, it has been pretty clean. I appreciate the comments and will re look at the situation in regards to humidity and possibility of moving it outside.

 

[DiscoverwithDave]

I can see your other waterer in there, too.

The giant water cooler in the upper corner is my water system I am working on. It is a gravity fed system with pipes running down with 2 or 3 cups in the coop and then goes down to the run with 2 more cups for them to drink from. Because it works on gravity it needs to be up high and since it is running down to the run I might as well make a right with a couple drinking cups before piping down below. In case then get out of bed at night thirsty, LOL.

 

[wamtazlady]

Well I agree with a lot of your points...and I’m old too lol and would rather work smarter than harder. I don’t worry about what they eat (wild birds). But they poop in the waterers & sometimes the feeder. I worry about what diseases they might transmit. And yes...nipple waterers I think would be hard to clean and I just don’t think my girls would figure them out. Dunno I’ll still trying to decide for my next coop. I don’t want to have regrets ya know?

I do not understand why you think horizontal nipple waterer would be difficult to clean. There is no way for dirt to get into the waterer. Maybe you were thinking of a cup waterer which is different from a horizontal nipple. My waterer is covered. Only the little nipple sticks out and that has no place for water and dirt to settle. In fact, in winter all I ever do is refill the water once a week. It stays clean as there is no way for dirt to get into it and algae doesn't grow in the cold winter weather. The waterer is kept outside in the covered run. Also have clear vinyl shower curtains covering 3 sides to prevent wind in the run. This is my 4th winter with my set up. Waterer in run has stayed thawed to -22 degrees using a stock tank deicer. As I said earlier, only needs filled once a week which I am able to do with a hose. Stays clean. Birds always have water. I am 67 and do not want to do any more work outside in the cold than I have to do. My food is also set up to last a week. Less work for me.

Maybe I have smarter chickens than most people. I have had several, as in 6 or 7 different batches of chickens. Never worried about them learning to use the nipple. Put the waterer in with them and forget about it. They have all learned in a matter of an hour or so. Just had 2 new batches that I raised this year that are all using nipples. I used to have neighbors on both sides of me that had free ranging chickens. Even those chickens learned to use my waterers rather than run home when they got thirsty.