calling any one from missouri

[EdenCamp]

If you can't run cord above where the dog can reach - lay out some that's all ready shot and rub hot sauce on it.......

Or bury the cord, or run it through conduit. Extending light can warm the coops in cold weather, keep water from freezing and keep them eggs o comin.

 

[littlechickies]

Ok, I'm new to chicken ranching. How do I keep the hens in water thru the winter. I should say what is the best way. I have no electric to the coop. I can't run any because of dogs and chewing they will do.

I am new too and there is actually a thread talking about this. some ideas I read are ..... one lady takes the water in at night and replaces it with warm water in the morning. she says it stays ice free most days. another soaks oatmeal and adds some yogurt and warms it so they have the a warm wet meal. someone suggested using dog dish warmers or using solar powered things that connect to like a bird feeder. Where I live in MO. we often only get one week of consistant really cold weather so I am going to try the warm water in the morning and keep it in the coop. Hope this helps, let me know if you come across other ideas.

 

[mrballance]

I live in KC area, I keep my feed and water in coop. My coop is part of 18 x 18 storage shed so heating it is out of the question. I like the rubber bowl idea. I don't have much time in morning with work and all so dumping it sounds like a plan. Maybe one day add electric but don't want fire. I have a 1966 Mustang convertible in shed that I don't want to lose. LOL

 

[lungewhipqueen]

I use those rubber pans too. Mostly in the summer because the hens like to stand in them when it's hot. But they do make changing out icy water a lot easier in the winter if you have to go that route. I do have power to my barn and sheds though, so I guess I'm a little spoiled.

I have two different heated waterers... one is a simple heated bowl. The other is an actual chicken waterer with a built in heating element in the bottom. I HATE it. It doesn't have a cord, it has a spot in the base where it plugs directly into an extension cord... which means the prongs stick out from the base. It has to be filled in an inverted position and it's next to impossible to turn that stupid thing over without sloshing water all over. I don't know who designed it, but they didn't think very hard about the design. When I bought it, it was the only type available and I was in a pinch. I've regretted wasting the money ever since.

I used to change out my stalled horses' water buckets every day in the winter when they froze up by dropping the whole frozen bucket into a heated stock tank. I'd feed and clean stalls and the giant ice cubes would slide right out of the buckets by the time I got done. Then I'd dip out fresh water and be done. The bucket sized ice cubes would melt in the tank so I didn't waste the water! I imagine one could do the same thing with the chicken water, if you're concerned about wasting all that frozen water... and if you happen to have other livestock with a stock tank handy. LOL

 

[peanut67]

I have a heated water that I got from Orschlen that works great for me I used it all last winter it worked great for me it was around 25.00 or 30.00 dollars just an idea

 

[mrballance]

I have a heated water that I got from Orschlen that works great for me I used it all last winter it worked great for me it was around 25.00 or 30.00 dollars just an idea

This was about if you didn't have electric in coop

 

[EdenCamp]

If you have a well insulated coop the heat generated by the birds and decomposting litter will help keep temps up within the shelter.
If those black rubberized deals are kept in a sunny spot they'll draw heat and melt except on the worst cold. Right about us being lucky without long spells where at least daytime temps get above freeze.

 

[peanut67]

I don't have electricity in the coop I run a cord to the coop from the barn sorry just trying to help

 

[misschickenlittle]

I don't have electricity in the coop I run a cord to the coop from the barn sorry just trying to help

That's what I do too. But i the dogs chew the cords... Yikes! A real good ahock might stop them. Or like Eden said let them chew on an already ruined one with hot sauce on it. I think I'm going to try that! .

 

[Labmum2]

Hi everyone, it's been a little while since I've been on the forum, but I wanted to share a St.Louis Backyard Chickens Facebook page I just created last week for those in and around our area. I hope you'll consider joining and helping us grow!

www.facebook.com/stlouisbackyardchickens