Patent ID: 7735455

Claim:
A poultry fountain comprising: a basin having a flat top and an annular peripheral trough for receiving water to be made available for drinking by poultry the annular trough having an inner sidewall and an outer sidewall integrally connected at a trough bottom, the trough inner sidewall contiguously extending around and below the basin top so that the basin top is elevated above the trough bottom and the trough outer sidewall terminating in a peripheral edge positioned above the basin top; a reservoir for storing water to be made available in the trough, the reservoir having an interior therein defined by a sidewall and open end defined by a sidewall brim, the reservoir being detachably mountable to the basin top inset laterally from the trough inner sidewall so that the basin top overlies and covers the reservoir open end; and a heating element affixed to the basin for emitting thermal energy, the heating element having a first portion having a first length of electrical resistance wire underlying and contacting the basin top for warming the water inside the reservoir interior and a second portion having a second length of electrical resistance wire extending below and circumscribed around said first portion and contacting and the inner sidewall for warming the water within the trough to prevent the surface of the water from freezing.