Rearing Young Chickens in Winter Without Supplemental Heat in a Barn

aart said:

...and where there is LOTS of sun, which is not here...hahaha!

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I'd like Michigan then...I'm not much for the sun. I like dark days.
Except when it's cold like we are...then it's nice to see the sun.

mobius said:

She does live in Maine, which is not that different weatherwise from Montana...however, I have not tried this yet...

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Are you thinking of trying this idea? I'm asking because you said "yet"

I didn't do this with my horses, 98% of their trough froze over with a heater.

My chickens aren't allowed out, so my water's inside. As it is the back of my heated waterer is iced a bit. And I have some really tiny chickens, if they got pushed in (which I can see happening with the big oafs I have with them) they'd freeze to death.

Wickedchicken6 said:

I'd like Michigan then...I'm not much for the sun. I like dark days.
Except when it's cold like we are...then it's nice to see the sun.

Are you thinking of trying this idea? I'm asking because you said "yet"

I didn't do this with my horses, 98% of their trough froze over with a heater.

My chickens aren't allowed out, so my water's inside. As it is the back of my heated waterer is iced a bit. And I have some really tiny chickens, if they got pushed in (which I can see happening with the big oafs I have with them) they'd freeze to death.  :/

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Iwould not do tiny chicks without either supplemental heat or mother present. Even then they have got to have ample water when fed only dry feed.

following

we've got some winter chicks we hatched out in september...so far so good, all growing up fine. They certainly do eat a lot though!
Finally got the snow and ice cleared/ melted enough for them to venture outside. So far so good, soon to integrate them into our older flock. first time, so were hoping it goes smoothly, but know it most likely won't haha

mobius said:

She does live in Maine, which is not that different weatherwise from Montana...however, I have not tried this yet...

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It makes no sense to me.
- Black tire in the sun gets hot? Check
- Black tub in the sun gets hot? Check
- Filling the airspace inside the tire with insulating material? No check.

How is the heat from the tire going to get to the water tub if you have a ton of insulation between the two? Likely the only thing the tire is doing is holding the tub up. The water takes longer to freeze because the black tub absorbs some heat from the sun and the insulation slows its escape from the side of the tub.

I think a better plan would be to fill the space between the tire and the tub with sand. Passive solar works by storing the heat gained from the sun during the day in a "mass". Stone, sand, water in drums, etc.

I really tried the black rubber idea two winters ago. These were my findings. Above 20 degrees on full sunshine days, with a sufficient mass of water, 2 gallons was what I used. The water would stay open during the daylight hours. It would freeze over during the night, but melt the next day.

However, below 20 degrees or on over cast days, it really did not work. Below 20 degrees, and it would be frozen solid by morning.

Mrs K

Mrs. K said:

I really tried the black rubber idea two winters ago. These were my findings. Above 20 degrees on full sunshine days, with a sufficient mass of water, 2 gallons was what I used. The water would stay open during the daylight hours. It would freeze over during the night, but melt the next day.

However, below 20 degrees or on over cast days, it really did not work. Below 20 degrees, and it would be frozen solid by morning.

Mrs K

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When it gets really cold or overnight I expect water to freeze. During those intervals effort must be stepped up. This winter and last I have had at most a week where keeping water in front of birds is a challenge so not all that bad. Cold winter would be more problematic.

Mrs. K said:

I really tried the black rubber idea two winters ago. These were my findings. Above 20 degrees on full sunshine days, with a sufficient mass of water, 2 gallons was what I used. The water would stay open during the daylight hours. It would freeze over during the night, but melt the next day.

However, below 20 degrees or on over cast days, it really did not work. Below 20 degrees, and it would be frozen solid by morning.

Mrs K

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Did you just use the container only or with the insulated tire,Mrs. K? Just curious...

I tried both. Above 20 o F, and sunshine it worked pretty well, below 20o and there was not enough heat.

I did think but did not try, that if one created a glass box around the black rubber bucket, that that might be enough if one started with warm water, I think it would keep it open during the daylight hours, however, one would need to go down and dump it out, as with the darkness, it will freeze solid. The trapped heat in the black only lasts a little while. Heat moves from warm to cold, I think the colder it is, the faster it moves.

Mrs K

Our cold spell is finally easing, we are snow covered, and have been below 15 for a couple of weeks. Tedious stomping out of ice every day. Ready for some warmer weather. mrs K