Waterers
Hens drink a lot and stop laying when water runs out. Raised cups and nipples stay cleaner than open founts. In a cold winter a heated waterer or a heated base saves a lot of ice chipping.
We earn from qualifying purchases. How we pick.
Founts and drinkers
- Best for a big flock and a top fillHarris Farms 6.25 gallon easy fill drinker
A large plastic drinker that fills from the top.
Check price on Amazon â - Best for hanging water off the floorFARM TUFF 5 gallon hanging waterer
A hanging plastic fount with a top fill design.
Check price on Amazon â - Best for a simple low cost fountLittle Giant plastic dome waterer
A basic gravity dome waterer sold in a few sizes.
Check price on Amazon â - Best for pairing with a heated baseLittle Giant double wall metal fount
A galvanized double wall fount made in the USA.
Check price on Amazon â - Best for a metal fount for a larger flockMiller 5 gallon galvanized fountain
A 5 gallon galvanized fount for keepers who prefer metal.
Check price on Amazon â - Best for filling less oftenOverEZ 12 gallon waterer
A large drinker with a no spill system for inside or outside the coop.
Check price on Amazon â
Cup and nipple waterers
- Best for clean water for a small flockRentACoop 2 gallon waterer with cups and nipples
A raised waterer that ships with both cups and nipples.
Check price on Amazon â - Best for water that stays cool or freezes slowerOmlet 3 gallon insulated waterer
An insulated waterer with cups and nipples in the box.
Check price on Amazon â - Best for a DIY bucket watererLil'Clucker large waterer cups
Float valve cups you fit to your own bucket or barrel.
Check price on Amazon â - Best for a pipe fed watering lineDarcvds waterer cups 8 pack
Cups with tee fittings for a pipe setup.
Check price on Amazon â - Best for a cheap set of float cupsLANARP float cups 8 pack
Float style cups for a bucket build.
Check price on Amazon â - Best for cups that resist peckingRentACoop metal auto fill cups 6 pack
Metal cups for keepers who want something tougher than plastic.
Check price on Amazon â - Best for a side mounted nipple bucketLil'Clucker horizontal nipples 15 pack
Horizontal nipples that screw into the side of a bucket.
Check price on Amazon â - Best for a low cost nipple bucketMEWTOGO waterer nipples 20 pack
Screw in nipples with a drill bit for a DIY waterer.
Check price on Amazon â - Best for chicks or a pair of bantamsRentACoop 32 oz nipple drinker
A one liter drinker with two nipples.
Check price on Amazon â
Heated waterers and bases
- Best for a small flock in freezing weatherFarm Innovators HB 60P heated waterer
A 2 gallon heated plastic waterer that runs on 60 watts.
Check price on Amazon â - Best for year round use with a thermostatFarm Innovators 3 gallon heated fountain
A heated hanging fount with a thermostat.
Check price on Amazon â - Best for two water stations in winterFarm Innovators HPF 100 heated fountain 2 pack
Two heated 3 gallon hanging founts.
Check price on Amazon â - Best for very cold wintersPremier 1 all season heated waterer
A 3 gallon heated waterer that the maker rates for deep cold.
Check price on Amazon â - Best for a heated waterer with a funnel fillAPI 3 gallon heated waterer
A heated waterer with overheating protection and a steel handle.
Check price on Amazon â - Best for keeping two founts thawedFarm Innovators heated base 2 pack
Two heated bases that sit under a waterer.
Check price on Amazon â - Best for a galvanized double wall fountFarm Innovators heated base for metal founts
A 125 watt base made for double wall metal founts.
Check price on Amazon â - Best for using the waterer you already ownHarris Farms heated drinker base
A heated base that sits under a drinker to stop it freezing.
Check price on Amazon â
Guides that cover this gear
Best Heated Chicken Waterer for Winter (Buying Guide)Heated waterers and bases that keep your flock's water liquid on freezing mornings. Which type suits your setup, how to run power safely, and what to do with no power at all.
Photo: Liamkw, CC BY-SA 4.0
Chicken Waterer Nipples vs Cups: Best 5 Gallon Bucket SetupsNipples or cups for a 5 gallon bucket waterer? See how much water hens really drink, what each style does well and how to build a bucket that won't leak.
Photo: âChickens Drinking from Waterer on Small Farmâ by Alabama Extension, CC0 1.0
How to Keep Rats and Mice Out of a Chicken CoopRats and mice come for the chicken feed and stay for the shelter. Here is how to seal gaps, lock away feed and shut them out at night.
Photo: âOur Chicken Coopâ by furtwangl, CC BY 2.0
Best Chicken Feeders and Waterers (Buying Guide)The feeders and waterers that keep feed dry and water clean. How much your hens eat and drink each day, which type suits your flock, and how to stop feeding the rats.
Photo: Rachel Tayse, CC BY 2.0- How to Winterize a Chicken Coop: A Simple Checklist
Get your coop ready for cold weather. Keep it dry and free of drafts, stop the water freezing and decide if your hens really need heat.
Photo: Liamkw, CC BY-SA 4.0