Tired of changing out water every 3 hours.

[Cargo]

Changing out water for the rabbits every 3 hours got old fast.
I had an extra cookie tin heater so I rigged it under my Bunny Well water pans.
Currently have a 40W bulb in it. Working fine in about 20 deg today. The ends have a bit of ice build up.

 

[elevan]

Thank you for posting this! I'll be making some of those for my chickens!

 

[miss_thenorth]

It's not freezing here yet, but in the winter for my bunns, I only chenged the water every 12 hours. I made sure they got enough to drink when I went in the morning to do chores, and once they had their fill, I topped up the water crocks. Then in the evening for chores, I would do the same thing. When I first got bunns, I worried about their waters freezing and went out often, but found it unnecessary.

 

[collector]

It's not freezing here yet, but in the winter for my bunns, I only chenged the water every 12 hours. I made sure they got enough to drink when I went in the morning to do chores, and once they had their fill, I topped up the water crocks. Then in the evening for chores, I would do the same thing. When I first got bunns, I worried about their waters freezing and went out often, but found it unnecessary.

We only change out frozen water twice per day also. in the morning and before we cover them for the nite . They will drink what they need at those times.

 

[wYs Ranch]

Thats all I do right now, we have bottles though and we just swap them out in the am and pm.

Has anyone used a heated water system? I'm thinking about making one. It's got a heater and pump to keep the water moving.

Thanks for posting a photo on the tin heater, I'm going to make one for my birds soon as well.

 

[RabbitLover11]

Nice waterer-- my doe's waterer (regular bottle waterer) keeps dripping all the water out. Heater is a good idea too, even down here in TX where we've been having unusually freezing weather of late.

Thank you!

 

[tortoise]

I made an auto waterer system that is heated. I made it late last fall so i didn't have time to test it thoroughly for leaks. I got sick of one leak here this day... one leak there that day, and went back to crocks until spring when I can go over it carefully.

No need to change water out every 3 hours. I do once a dat per my vet. They drink up then and lick or chew ice if they need more later. The amount they drink/lick corrresponds to how much they drink out of a bottle in summer, so I know they are getting enough.

For a dripping water bottle, fill it, seal the spout on. Hold it upside down and SQUEEZE it. Then flip it over. It will gurgle, drip 3 - 4 times, and then stops dripping. Vacuum principle. If it doesn't hold a vacuum, there is a leak causing the drip.

 

[RabbitLover11]

I just tried what you suggested with the bottle waterer, but it doesn't fix the problem. It still drips constantly. There is no leak on the bottle, all the pieces are intact.