Winter water?

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Gail in MN

Gail in MN

In the Brooder
7 Years
May 8, 2012
10
1
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This is my first winter with chickens. I live in central Minnesota, and have 14 hens and a rooster. I am getting concerned about the winter watering situation. We have electricity to our coop, but not running water. I currently have a 3 gallon galvanized waterer, which is fine, but not for winter. It is too big to lug into the house and wash in the sink every other day. I would like to find something that is small enough to wash in the sink, won't freeze and doesn't cost a fortune. I was thinking about going with a few of the small animal (like hamster) water bottles, but am worried about the ball freezing. I can't find a one gallon galvanized waterer (then I could just get a heated base). I have been reading on here the pros and cons of heating the coop, and have decided to try the not heating method first--we'll see how it goes!! Please tell me how you have solved your winter watering problems!!
 
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This is what I use in the winter. You don't have any waterfowl, so you may only need to refill every few days. I do find if you don't have this set flat, it will trickle out very slowly and create an ice pond.

Good choice on not heating the coop. I definitely say spring for the heated waterer.

Last winter when I lived elsewhere, I didn't have running water in the garage. I brought a mop bucket out every morning and filled the waterer outside. That was easier than bringing it in and doing it under the sink.
 
I have a similar issue, i own waterfowl and horses and have a barn cat lol so i am already familiar with winter and water but i use heated buckets and heated troughs for all of them, the chickens i am a bit lost on how and what to do, i know they make heated waterers like Aoxa showed but unlike you i don't have that many chickens.. only 4 and these heated ones seem ridiculously large for a smaller flock.
hmm.png
 
Eggsoteric said:
I have electricity to the runs. I use a plastic, heated dog bowl like this:

http://www.wag.com/dog/p/farm-innov...la&ca_sku=FPS-32805&ca_gpa=pla&ca_kw={keyword}

They come in different sizes and are easy to keep clean (I actually use them all year round).
Click to expand...

I was curious if anyone had any experience with these and chickens, good to hear feedback! i think that would be better for my small flock, the other types again seem like overkill and chickens don't make such a water mess anyhow.. my ducks would swim in that
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we had to downsize our heated buckets because they were swimming in them last winter lol
 
Going Quackers said:
I have a similar issue, i own waterfowl and horses and have a barn cat lol so i am already familiar with winter and water but i use heated buckets and heated troughs for all of them, the chickens i am a bit lost on how and what to do, i know they make heated waterers like Aoxa showed but unlike you i don't have that many chickens.. only 4 and these heated ones seem ridiculously large for a smaller flock.
hmm.png
Click to expand...
For instances like yours: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/107951/cookie-tin-water-heater/0_30 Check this out. Simple and inexpensive
smile.png
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Small bucket with nipples and a lid and a 50 watt aquarium heater.

I use a 2.5 gallon bucket. for 15 chickens. Then all you have to do is bring a gallon of water out every day to fill. Plastic milk jug works great.
You only need to clean once a month and you don't get water all over the coop.

I have been using this system for three or four years now and it is very little work.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks everyone for so much great info! I have decided to try the bucket with nipples. I hope my girls don't have too much trouble figuring out "where the water went"!
 
Going Quackers said:
Thank you for the detailed link! yes, i think this is the option i will be taking the other type seems expensive and impractical for a petite flock, the ladies have a 2GAL waterer that never runs dry, i just obviously re-fill it so they simply do not require a larger contraption.
Click to expand...

make sure you run the cord through the socket nipple, if not it may fray apart on the edges of the can
 

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