Freezing Water

[Randy17]

Hello , I am new to this forum and raising chickens. I have a post on coop and run page and question I have is does anyone use a electric heated base for the watering can in the winter. It gets cold here in the winter and I am not sure how to keep my hens in fresh water?



Randy

 

[Country Gal]

One of my friends uses the heated watering dish last winter, said it worked pretty well. I think he used a heated dog dish from TSC.

This upcoming winter will be my first with my chickens - I'm going to wait and see if the combination of insulation in the coop walls and a heat lamp will do the trick to keep the water from freezing, otherwise I will also probably switch to the heated water bowl.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

We have the metal heated base, that looks like an upside down metal dish, for a metal waterer. It works great. We put it up on concrete blocks.

 

[FamilyOfChickens]

We use the regular waterer, but have a heat lamp over it. Keeps the chickens and the water unfrozen.

 

[Picco]

I have a water heater unit I bought from strombergs. Its a galvanized box with a light bulb in it. I set a one gallon metal waterer on top and the water doesn't freeze in sub-zero temperatures. The whole thing costs $50 but I think its well worth it.

 

[schmoo]

Hey Picco - I read a post on here before from someone who strung a light bulb through a cyder(sp?) block under a metal waterer to keep the water open- do you think that would work? It sounds kind of like what you described. If I spend $50 more dollars on the chickens my husband might make me live in the coop with them

 

[Standard Hen]

I used the heated dog water bowls and they worked well. Sure beat banging out ice and trying to keep up with that as I am at work all day. I got them off e-bay but someone told me that Wal-Mart had the exact same kind.

 

[Wolfpacker]

Wow - You must be desparate! It's 100 degree here today and the LAST thing I have on my mind is frozen water. But it does sound nice!

 

[Picco]

The block would wor but make sure you seal the lightbulb in it so you don't burn the coop down!

 

[AK-Bird-brain]

We used the heated base for a while but it only keeps the water from freezing. we switched to a heat lamp near the waterer it keeps our water from freezing and gives off heat for the rest of the coop.

Its never too early to start thinking about winter. Up here we have 3 seasons we have early winter, late winter, and next winter.