Nipple waterers - a danger of frostbite in winter?

[azygous]

I just installed the Bright Tap nipple water system in my run, and I noticed there is a lot of water dripping down and soaking the sand beneath it as the chickens use it.

I'm getting concerned that water may drip on chickens' feet and cause frost bite come winter. Has anyone had problems with frost bite with these nipple water systems in winter?

 

[CascadiaRiver]

I have never had problems with it in the winter, though we dont get extremely cold winters here ^^

 

[azygous]

My winter gets below freezing for much of the winter, and below zero on some days. I've never had a frost bite case and I sure don't want to have a first.

I'm wondering if I should just go back to the regular jug and basin waterers for winter.

 

[pdirt]

The Brite Tap uses the vertical nipples. I hated the vertical nipples due to the fact it was much more difficult to keep them thawed (and dangerous! fire hazard with submersible aquarium heaters!) and they dribbled a lot, leading to a huge pile of ice under the waterer. I do deep litter, so as far as frostbite on their feet, I didn't notice it. It stays below freezing most of the winter here.

I switched to the horizontal nipples, which don't dribble much at all and are easier to keep thawed (less danger and less electricity):


5-gallon bucket with horizontal nipples


a 250W K&H stock tank deicer keeps the water & nipples thawed, down to -9F (the coldest I've tested it) and others have said down to -15F or -20F. No fire danger because the deicer shuts off when there is no water contact

 

[azygous]

Thanks for all that info. I'm anticipating problems with ice accumulation under the water nipples. I'm thinking of building some sort of drain basin, which would serve the same purpose as your deep litter in taking it below the surface.

The Brite Tap is working smashingly now that it's summer, and it's been great not having to clean and haul the old waterers. But I'm trying to get a head start on the problems I'll face a few months from now.

 

[pdirt]

I may be mistaken, but I think I have heard that the Brite Tap simply doesn't work in freezing weather. Looking at the design, I can see why. The piece that houses the nipples will freeze quickly as it is separated from the main water volume, a larger mass of water will hold heat much longer. Perhaps if you were to install some tubing and a submersible pump and insert the tubing into the BriteTap to keep the water circulating, that might work. But you will also need to heat the water for your cold Colorado winters. A de-icer device (like the one I mentioned) will work but I highly discourage a submersible aquarium heater. The one I used simply didn't turn off when the water ran dry (my fault), melted some plastic and darn near started a fire. However, the de-icer I now use turns off when I pull it from the water and turns back on when I put in back in the water.

 

[azygous]

Yes, I am aware that the Brite Tap reservoir will freeze. I plan on wrapping heat tape around it. I have electric outlets near the water containers. If it becomes a big problem, I am ready to concede defeat and just use the Brite Tap system in summer.

My main concern is frostbite on my chickens' feet and wattles.

Has anyone ever had a case of frostbite with any nipple watering system, vertical or horizontal? I would much rather learn of any such cases before I have a frostbite victim in my own flock.

 

[pdirt]

Yes, I am aware that the Brite Tap reservoir will freeze. I plan on wrapping heat tape around it. I have electric outlets near the water containers. If it becomes a big problem, I am ready to concede defeat and just use the Brite Tap system in summer.

My main concern is frostbite on my chickens' feet and wattles.

Has anyone ever had a case of frostbite with any nipple watering system, vertical or horizontal? I would much rather learn of any such cases before I have a frostbite victim in my own flock.

I forgot about the heat tape...that might work. Good luck!

As to your original frostbite question...yes, we did have frostbite issues with the vertical nipples. We had chickens with wet heads from the vertical nipples during the middle of winter...not good. Those with small wattles did fine and we never had frostbite feet issues, but the larger wattles did get some frostbite.

Now, our flock is mixed sizes and we only had one waterer, so we probably didn't have the waterer at the perfect height (to minimize the dribbling). But we've not had the issue with the horizontal nipples, even though we still only have the one waterer and the same mixed flock must stretch or squat to reach it.

 

[mamadawn]

We found a heat tape fix for the Brite Tap. We had below 0 for many weeks, last winter here in Utah and no frozen water. My setup is such that I have to have my water station in my covered run not coop. I love my Brite Tap really wanted to use it.
I know this is NOT recommended by Brite Tap or Easy Tape but it's working like a charm! I wrapped a 3ft length of heat tape around the front box secured it with zip ties. It kicks on at Aprox 38' there is a built in thermostat that needs to be placed against a pipe- so I provided a piece of pipe. It's not pretty but the girls don't seem to bother it.
It doesn't get hot just warm and keeps the water and nipples from freezing. Used it all last winter and hope to just plug it in this winter and see if it heats up- hoping to get at least five years out of it. This spring I just unscrewed the tap and replaced it with a new Brite tap. Can't wait till winter to put our winter tap back on and see how it does ...

 

[azygous]

Thanks so much for responding, both of you. Pdirt, I have noticed some wet heads and that's why I'm concerned about frostbite. It's a decision I'm going to need to make as the temps start to dive, whether to continue with the Brite Tap system this winter.

Mamadawn, I got the idea for heat tape by reading your original thread on how to winterize a Brite Tap. I think you're the only one to come up with such an elegant solution. Brite Tap was going to come up with something, and they never came through.