Check out this Chicken Kooler

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I wonder how well the heater would work.

I would doubt that it would not freeze in our minus 20 or minus 30 weather. If the element is in the lid what would stop the nipples at the bottom of the pail from freezing. Also the waterer is only good if all the birds are close to the same size. What if some of the flock are only half as tall as the rest. You would need more than one pail if you have a range of different sixed birds in the same enclosure.

I bought some of those nipples off e-bay this winter. Come spring, I am going to make up some waterers from PVC and plastic barrels instead of the hanging bucket idea. The water nipples are very cheap to purchase!

Hey Dark Wing Duck, I also bought a bunch of those nipples from a small feed store in a town North East Of Calgary and they are yellow and they are designed to wrap around 3/4" PVC pipe and I also was going to hook them up to a double stacked and raised set of rain barrels that if needed I could fill with a garden hose and every now and then I could add a little bleach or food grade peroxide and a little apple cider vinegar. I need to quit procrastinating and just do it.

What I still like about this pail type set up is that it is so portable.

Dan Smith wrote:I would doubt that it would not freeze in our minus 20 or minus 30 weather. If the element is in the lid what would stop the nipples at the bottom of the pail from freezing. Also the waterer is only good if all the birds are close to the same size. What if some of the flock are only half as tall as the rest. You would need more than one pail if you have a range of different sixed birds in the same enclosure.

This is what I thought about the heated lid too. My heated dog bowls freeze over on top even yesterday and they're only a few inches deep.They'e be great for summer.

I'd like to see the ones you guys make though. . .

When I bought the nipples, they had yellow and red ones. The red ones where a bit more money (3 cents more!), but are supposed to be better for not bunging up with crap.
I have also heard that if you put a few pieces of copper in the barrels, it will help to reduce algae growth. Another trick I have heard that might also work is to add copper sulfate to the barrels. Maybe painting the barrels black is best thing though!

It would be really great if you guys post some pictures when you get your waterers set up. I am very interested to see what you come up with.