Aquarium heater makes heated chicken waterer

It's pretty simple really, just insert a 25+ watt submersible aquarium heater inside an appropriate closed container such as a CLEAN / NEW kerosene can and plug it into a thermostatically controlled plug (can buy off the internet). Works well into the 20s, doesn't get too much colder that that here.

My guess is it would work at any temp if you gauge the heater wattage appropriately.  Do note: the last heater I bought said "don't use in freezing weather."  I'm not sure I understand that as a caution but I could imagine it might have something to do with the amount of "time on heating." My thought is the plug in thermostat takes care of that concern because it cuts the heater off at 42/44.  Please remember though, I'm talking about SC where daytime temps almost always get above freezing.  If I were in a colder climate I would call the heater mfg and get technical advice--I still bet it works!!

--- Mike Boynton

For readers who want to follow along at home, Mike started with one of our homemade chicken waterer kits and followed our simple instructions to make his waterer.

We recommend our 3 pack DIY kit for making a heated waterer for up to 50 chickens.  The CD that comes with each kit includes complete instructions to help you build our favorite heated options without any trial and error. The heated waterer we use in our own coop requires two buckets, a three foot length of pipe heating cable ($23), and the contents of our kit.  With a layer of chicken-friendly insulation, the waterer is good down into the teens.