A few years ago I made a heated water bucket for my hens. It sits outside in the run and has been tested to -5°F.
I cut a piece of closed cell foam to cover the nipples.
Then using the bottom of a second bucket I cover the foam so the nipples are flush and only the metal rod sticks out.
The parts I used to make the heated bucket.
I put a 250 watt stock tank heater in the bottom of the bucket. Note a floating heater will not work, I know I tried one.
I cover it with a cardboard box mostly to keep it clean but I think it helps a bit in the winter when the wind is blowing.
I used to tap the bucket bottom for the nipples but the buckets kept splitting at the tapped hole so now I just make some nuts out of delrin and drill a close fitting hole for the nipples and screw the nut on from the inside and the gasket seals up the nipple. Never had a leak again.
When I introduced the chicks to the vertical nipple water station at 3 days old they took right to using it. I just had to touch one chicks beak to the nipple and the rest caught right on.
The vertical nipples have a sealing gasket so you just need to pull it up tight to the bucket. You might find a plastic nut at a well stocked hardware store that fits good enough to pull the nipples up tight.
This is my chick water station.
JT
I cut a piece of closed cell foam to cover the nipples.
Then using the bottom of a second bucket I cover the foam so the nipples are flush and only the metal rod sticks out.
The parts I used to make the heated bucket.
I put a 250 watt stock tank heater in the bottom of the bucket. Note a floating heater will not work, I know I tried one.
I cover it with a cardboard box mostly to keep it clean but I think it helps a bit in the winter when the wind is blowing.
I used to tap the bucket bottom for the nipples but the buckets kept splitting at the tapped hole so now I just make some nuts out of delrin and drill a close fitting hole for the nipples and screw the nut on from the inside and the gasket seals up the nipple. Never had a leak again.
When I introduced the chicks to the vertical nipple water station at 3 days old they took right to using it. I just had to touch one chicks beak to the nipple and the rest caught right on.
The vertical nipples have a sealing gasket so you just need to pull it up tight to the bucket. You might find a plastic nut at a well stocked hardware store that fits good enough to pull the nipples up tight.
This is my chick water station.
JT
