The Official Forum of the Ameraucana Breeders Club > Housing, Health & Hatching
Poultry Tractors
Sarah Meaders:
:)
Gordon, I actually use heated waterers. Last year, I tried the heated base, but that was a bust. I ended up getting a plastic heated waterer, and I am very happy with it. I got three more this year, but a different brand, and I like them better. I already have an outdoor extension cord ran out there for the Christmas lights, so we have splitters off of that for their waterers. This is the one I got this year and like....
http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/farm-innovators-heated-poultry-fount-3-gal?cm_vc=-10005
The only time it has frozen so far is when it got so low, there was only a small amount of water left in it. Of course, the lowest we have gotten so far this year is the single digits. We haven't really gotten subzero yet. The one last year stayed thawed in sub zero, though.
Birdcrazy:
Sarah, I checked out the link you posted on the heated waterer. I was scared to death after reading all of the reviews. 25 out of 40 gave negative reviews and said not to buy. Main reason was filling unit and turning over or else coming apart while carrying the filled unit. 2 or 3 more said if not perfectly level water would leak out of unit until water was gone and froze all over floor of the coop. There was no negative reviews on not keeping the water from freezing. Manufacturer says good to 0 degrees. One review said they had no froze water to -15. What has been your experience on filling and inverting the unit. Most reviews say the tabs on the base are not large enough to secure the top adequately. I know you said you were happy with the unit, so just looking for insights on what some reviewers are doing wrong.
Sarah Meaders:
Yes, I saw those reviews, too! I have to chuckle. The first waterer I ever used was the same style as these without the heated part. I vividly remember trying to fill the thing without getting soaked myself! After a few times of giving myself a bath with apple cider vinegar water, I figured out you have to be smarter than the plastic. lol
I now carry two gallon pitchers out to the pen with a small funnel. I turn the waterer upside down, and yes, a little of the water pours out. I use that to my advantage, because as we all know, chickens dirty their water, so this lets me rinse the basin and clean it a bit right there. Using a funnel makes for a much drier filling up. The stoppers are very secure, even in the frigid cold. They haven't leaked for me. When I turn the waterer back up, I figured out if I turn the side with the little water channel side going over the top and down (if that makes sense), then less water comes out.
Now, I also learned the hard way (as did my 11 year old son) that you probably shouldn't carry three gallons of water by hanging on to the base. It is inevitable that the weight and the movement of you walking is going to be a fun disaster and the base is going to give. I don't carry it that way anymore. The days that we bring the whole thing in to wash it and fill it inside, we carry it by holding the whole thing. No more fun disasters.
And yes, if it is unlevel, water will pour out, at different speeds depending on how unlevel it is. This is true even for pans. That is why they come with a handy hanging rod. Hang it up, gravity levels it, no leaking. :)
So in short, yes, the first time I used a waterer of this style, there was a time of learning the best way to handle them. But once I figured it out, operator errors became fewer and more far between. The only reason I like this particular waterer over the one I bought last year is this one is a bit easier to secure the base back on after washing and filling. The first one you really had to work to line up the tabs. Not fun when it is super cold outside, and the stopper (for funnel usage) was a pain to secure, while this new one is much easier.
Last year, we were below zero every day for two-three weeks straight, and then several times after that. The only time the water froze was when there was just a little bit of water in there. I don't let them get that low anymore. This year, we have gotten below zero, so I can't say how the new model will do yet. But in the single digits, it has done beautifully.
So I guess all that is to say the majority of those negative reviews are truly due to operator error and people like me learning how to best work the things. I hate that people give bad reviews based on operator errors, instead of just laugh at themselves and go dry off like my son and I do. ;D
Birdcrazy:
Thanks Sarah for the input. I guess that I'll order 1 and try it to see if I like it. If it works out I can get some more. I counted up and at the present have 31 designated breeding cages and pens. Most are Wyandotte bantams and Old English bantams either quads or trio's so a 3 gal waterer is probably not going to work for those. I have 12 LF Ameraucana breeding pens so will probably try these waterers on the larger breeding pens of 6-8 chickens for now. I'll probably continue to use the rubber tubs for the trios and quads. Do you know how many watts each waterer uses. It did not say on the description or specification tab on the website you posted.
Sarah Meaders:
Gordon, 31 designated breeding cages and pens??? 31?? WOW!
I have no clue how many watts each one uses! But I can tell you, with four plugged in, I have notice zero change in our electric bill. Our heat is not electric, so the bill is pretty steady this time of year, and there hasn't been any change.
Let me know what you think of the waterer! Don't carry it upside down by the base! Hold the whole thing, or you will be laughing at yourself later! :)
We are set to go subzero Saturday, and today was very windy and cold in the low teens. We brought all of the waterers in today for a good scrubbing, and I made them some cream of wheat and flax meal mixed in. Inside the pens was SIGNIFICANTLY nicer than out of them. I need to put a thermometer inside their coops...
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