Icy conditions

[coffeegirl123]

So, we have a huge ice problem where we are at and have been taking hoses from our basement attached to the sink and walking out each time to give our ladies water. Would a fish heater work for a waterer, or heat lamp above the waterer? I don't want to cause a fire for doing that...so in the mean time we have been taking hoses out there to give them water....any suggestions of what we could do?

 

[HEChicken]

I use a heated dog water bowl (available at pet and feed stores for around $15) that holds a little over a gallon of water. I keep some empty milk gallon jugs by the back door and every time I go down to the chicken yard, I carry a full one with me and refill their heated dog water bowl. I have around 100 birds consisting of ducks, turkeys and chickens, but by carrying 1 gallon of water to them 4x each day I've been able to keep them in water through an Arctic freeze where for a week the temperature never went above freezing and the night time lows were in the single digits.

 

[jetdog]

Get a 5 gallon bucket and put nipples on the bottom. Tractor supply has this stock tank heater that has a thermostat built in so it doesn't run unless it has to. This heater has worked flawlessly since day one the nipples don't freeze, it will keep 30 gallons of water thawed so 5 is no problem. It is also safe for plastic.