How do you keep your automatic waterer from freezing in the winter?

[greatconductor]

I'm trying to figure out the best design for my quail cages and I am leaning towards stacked cages with automatic watering done with the little poultry cup style. It seems like the water would freeze in the cup and also the small tubes supplying the cups will freeze. I'm planning on having the cages inside my pole barn so they will be completely protected from wind and snow but the pole barn is not heated at all and the winters can get quite cold here in Michigan. Any tips to prevent freezing?



Thank you!

 

[eggbert420]

You could use an aquarium heater.

 

[greatconductor]

That

You could use an aquarium heater.

That would keep the water bucket which stores the majority of the water from freezing but what about the little tubes and the cups the quail drink from?

 

[eggbert420]

I would use schedule 40 pvc and insulate it with that black pipe insulation. Run it outside the cages and only let the niples go inside the pen.

 

[gilpinguy]

Depending on the size of the room your cages are in, a Thermocube might work well. That's what I use. It is basically an outlet that turns on at 35F and off at 45F. Plus a small heater into it and let it go on/off as needed to keep everything from freezing.

I use a 5-gallon pail watering system with cups and never had a freezing problem.

Here's a write up I did about it:

https://raisingquail.net/2016/09/23/heat-for-quail-in-the-winter-months/

 

[eggbert420]

Depending on the size of the room your cages are in, a Thermocube might work well. That's what I use. It is basically an outlet that turns on at 35F and off at 45F. Plus a small heater into it and let it go on/off as needed to keep everything from freezing.

I use a 5-gallon pail watering system with cups and never had a freezing problem.

Here's a write up I did about it:

https://raisingquail.net/2016/09/23/heat-for-quail-in-the-winter-months/

That's a great idea.

 

[greatconductor]

I would use schedule 40 pvc and insulate it with that black pipe insulation. Run it outside the cages and only let the niples go inside the pen.

I think I may end up going this route. The pole barn these are going to be in is like 2,000 sq feet so a heat lamp is not going to do too much I think to heat the overall space.