Do you have chickens? If so, chances are high that they are winter-hardy breeds. These breeds are great at getting used to cold weather fairly quickly. They can go for several hours at a time without drinking water. If their water even freezes over at the top, these chickens can peck and break through the thin layer of ice to get to essential water. As long as you bring them water every 6 six hours or thereabouts, they will be fine. However, if you will be away for longer, you need the best heated chicken waterer to keep your chickens safe and alive.
There are several heated chicken waterers on the market today, and it can be somewhat challenging to find the best option. In this post, we have reviewed 5 of the best options on the market today. From our in-depth testing and research, we have chosen the Farm Innovators HB-60P as our top pick. This excellent nipple-style drinker comes with features that ensure that your water doesn’t freeze over. It works in a wide range of temperatures including even sub-zero temperatures. It can hold a large capacity too, so you don’t have to worry about your chickens running out of water before you get back. In the review below, we will discuss the features of this model as well as those of the other 4 products on the roundup.
In creating this post, we considered several parameters. These parameters include type, capacity, dimensions, material, weight, and others. In this post, we have provided a comparison table for easy reading, in-depth reviews of each product and a buying guide, and FAQ section. Read on to find out our top options and get all the information that you need to make a good buying decision.
More features: 3 side mounted drip-free and freeze-free nipples accommodate up to 15 chickens, can be hung or placed on the ground
Farm Products is a popular brand when it comes to products for poultry. They make some of the best products for poultry, and our top choice is the HB-60P heated chicken watere. It comes with several features that trump those of rivals on the market.
It will keep your water from freezing even in sub-zero temperatures.
The design is quite good. It comes in a nipple-style design, but it doesn’t drip. There are side-mounted nipples that are easy to reach by the chicken, and these are made of high quality material that won’t cut or drip and cause a mess. From our research and testing, we observed that these nipples can survive a score of chickens.
Made from plastic, it is a very durable option that will serve you for several years to come.
It is an excellent choice that can hold up to 2.25 gallons of water at a time. Therefore, you will find it to be a good choice for big chickens. Due to the capacity, you will not have to refill the waterer very frequently through the day.
Additionally, it can be controlled via a thermostat. One nice feature is that you can see the water level of the waterer since it has a translucent body.
Overall, it is an easy to use, durable, large capacity heated waterer that will be an excellent addition to your chicken coop.
More features: 6 ft cord, energy efficient dual heating element
Our next pick is this product from Allied Precision Industries. The Allied Precision Industries heated chicken waterer might not come with all the features found in our top choice, but we found it to deliver more than sufficient performance.
It is a highly efficient device that will heat up the water for your chickens very effectively and efficiently even in cold, freezing weather. It comes with a dual heating element that heats up the water without overheating it and making it undrinkable for your birds.
It is also thermostatically controlled which makes it easy to control the temperature of the water your chickens drink. With this value option, you can rest assured that your birds will have enough to drink in cold weather without any health complications.
It features a 6 foot cord which we found to be long enough to be plugged to a socket without disturbing your birds.
Lastly, we love this product because it is very easy to use. All you need to do is to turn it upside down to fill it up.
More features: 2 ft cord, can be hung or placed on a flat surface, 1-year warranty
The next option is one of the most affordable options that you can find on the market right now. As you likely know already, Farm Innovators makes some of the best quality products in this category, and the HBF-100 is an excellent budget option.
It comes in a simple design that ensures the chicken water doesn’t freeze over throughout the winter. Aside from using it in the cold, we also found it to be a multi-purpose, all-year round waterer.
It doesn’t always heat up the water and will only use this function when you switch it on. Furthermore, it comes with a thermostat to help with controlling the temperature.
It has a decent capacity as well. It can easily contain up to 3 gallons of water at a go. You therefore, do not need to always refill your water.
Using just 100 W of power, it is a highly efficient product. Cleaning and maintenance is straightforward and can be done in a jiffy. When you want to refill, all you need is to turn it upside down. It comes with an inlet hole which you can pour the water through.
It isn’t heavy and can be carried around with some ease.
More features: LED indicators, 6 ft cord
This option is quite different from the others as it comes with a pair of LED indicators. These indicators are not just there for looks, but they are important in indicating the amount of power left in the device as well as the heating condition of the waterer.
It shows you whether the heater is on and if it is warming up the water.
Aside from the indicator, it comes with the typical features found in the best heated chicken waterers on the market. This model features a solid plastic construction that will stand the test of time and last for a long time. It has a carrying handle made of high quality materials.
Cleaning and maintenance is a breeze. Furthermore, refilling it is just a matter of removing its base and adding the water. It has one of the largest capacities on this list as it comes with a 3.7 gallon container. Therefore, you can leave the waterer for hours without needing to refill it.
The 6 feet cord allows you to plug it in to anywhere suitable that you like.
All of these features come at a very reasonable price.
More features: no rust tank, water filter ring, spill proof cap, shape eliminates roosting, 2-year warranty
The last, but not the least option on this roundup is this excellent product: the K&H Pet Products Thermo-Poultry Waterer.
If you hope to keep your chickens watered and satisfied, then this is an excellent product to choose. It delivers warm water to your chickens i=even in cold weather.
It is made of high quality plastic that will last for a long time.
It has a filter tray that allows you to clean out any water. Because of this design feature, you don’t have to bother about draining the waterer. Simply remove the filter tray and pour out the water.
It comes with a nice design that ensures that your water flows well without making a mess on the floor.
If you don’t like your chickens perching on their waterer, the design of the top of the product will be ideal.
It features a 60 watt heater that is efficient and that will save you money on electricity bills. Carrying it around is easy since there is a handle made of quality materials and with a good design.
In the section above, we considered the 5 best heated chicken waterers you can find on the market today. Before making a buying decision, there are several factors that you ought to consider. In this buying guide, we will discuss all of these parameters. We will also provide other information that can assist you to make a good buying choice.
Before purchasing a heated chicken waterer we strongly recommend to consider the following features to ensure that you won’t buy a product which might turn out to be useless for you and your stock.
Safety is a paramount feature to consider. Remember that you are using an appliance here. The heated chicken waterer is electrically controlled; hence there is a chance of electrical accidents. You must ensure that the product you buy doesn’t jeopardize your birds. Hence, look for products that come with a high protective rating. They should come with features like a safe long, anti-chewable cord. The heating element should also not be exposed as it can burn or even electrocute your birds otherwise.
This feature is another important parameter to consider.
Most of the options on the market, including some of the products that we reviewed above, for instance the Farm Innovators HB-60P come with a plastic body.
Plastic is lightweight, easy to clean, durable, and safe.
Aside from high quality plastic, galvanized steel is another material used to build these appliances. Many breeders love this material because it doesn’t contain BPA or other harmful substances. It also is easy to clean. The disadvantage of this material is that it can be somewhat heavy and since it is iron, can end up rusting over time.
The number of bird you plan on watering will determine several things as you make a buying decision. It will affect the capacity of the waterer you buy amongst other things.
If you have just a few birds, then you will likely be content with a chicken waterer that has a 3 gallon capacity, as for example Allied Precision Industries model, and few nipples. However, if you have plenty of birds, it would be better to choose a model that has a larger capacity and that comes with many nipples as well. We recommend that you choose a model that has up to 6 gallons of water.
You need to consider the design of the waterer. If you don’t mind having water on the floor, you can choose a design that spouts, such as Rite Farm Products model.
A fountain design will lead to a wet ground.
If you do not want that, you will be better off with a waterer that comes with nipples. These are designed in such a way that you don’t experience drips or leakages.
As these products come in a wide variety of designs and have several different feature, it isn’t surprising that they come in a wide range of prices.
You need to have a budget before stepping out to make a purchase. While expensive options might come with more features, this doesn’t mean that they are better than cheaper alternatives. The products that we reviewed above are relatively cheap, but they still deliver excellent performance all year long.
Before buying a heated chicken waterer, you should consider the durability. This is largely dependent on the material that it is made of. Steel frames will likely last longer than their plastic counterparts. However, they are more expensive. If money isn’t an issue though, you can pay more now by buying a high quality product.
Going cheap might be good at first, but the poor durability will require you to spend more by buying a replacement after a short period.
But for example K&H Pet Products Thermo-Poultry Waterer offers 2-year warranty which will leave you with no worries about the quality of your purchase.
You should consider such factors as the ease of refilling and the ease of cleanup. Choose an option that comes with a clear instruction manual that will let you to handle the product with ease.
Choosing a heated chicken waterer is no easy task. You have to select a model that will heat up your water without causing any problems. To help you we have created this comprehensive guide and review. We highly recommend the Farm Innovators HB-60P. It is one of the best options on the market as it comes with a sturdy plastic build, thick, insulated walls and a design that lets you fill it up quite quickly. Importantly, it comes with thermostatically-controlled heaters to keep your chickens’ water at optimum temperature. The Allied Precision Industries Heated Chicken Waterer offers excellent value for money. It comes with an energy efficient heating element that heats up the water without overdoing it. It comes with a design that makes it easy to fill the waterer. For those looking for a cheap option, the Farm Innovators Model HPF-100 is a good choice. It comes with a thermostat that allows you to control the heat and prevent freezing. It comes with a large capacity; able to hold up to 3 gallons of water at a go. Refilling is a breeze and won’t cause any stress.
We hope that this best heated chicken waterer will help you in making the correct buying decision.
