Water Freezing - no electricity to coop- any ideas?

[Our Roost]

Hey people! They dont want any electricity! Wont use it because her husband wont take the chance on fires occurring.

 

[Handyman1950]

You can buy a pipe warmer at hardware stores, these are used to keep water pipes from freezing. wrap the coiled warmer around a water pipe and plug it in and its usually has a thermostat with it to control the temperature. Usually cost around $25.00 in my area. You could put the coil under a pan of warter and keep it from freezing. the coil is insulated from electrical shoke.

 

[evysFarm]

I use long extra heavy duty extension cords fed into a power strip for my chix' and dux' heated waterers. One in each house. I use water from rain barrels for a water source with a floating heater attached to another cord that plugs into a socket on the tool shed. So much better than last year where I had to carry water from the house. If your chickens are too far for any combination of extension cords, then perhaps the solar power suggestion would work. When they become cheap enough, I intend to switch to solar collectors for electricity to the coops. I use water-proof covers over the junction of two cords for safety and I cover the cords with cheap rubber foot wipe mats where they cross pathways. This has worked great for me!

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

I only answered to correct a myth--that hot water freezes faster than cold water. And then I added what we do for the winter--but should have added "of course, this is no help to you. Sorry." The curse of hitting submit too soon, and then being too lazy to correct it!

 

[AVintageLife]

I work full time and was concerned about winter watering as well. I recently started fermenting their feed and I've read that one of the pluses is they need less water using this method (I still offer dry feed in the coop, just in case). So for the winter, before I go to work I bring them their greens, kitchen scraps and FF for breakfast, fresh/warm water in the coop waterer and fresh/warm water in the run waterer. The run is completely covered with tarp and clear shower curtains and kind of like a little sunroom so the outdoor water doesn't freeze up too quickly. I do have a raised heated dog water bowl filled with sand in the coop; I rest the waterer on top of that. I made a little insulated cozy for the top of the coop waterer but they keep plucking it off so I've abandoned that idea, lol. The dog water bowl is powered by an outdoor grade cord plugged in at the back of the house. I don't see any way for this set up to cause a fire - the bowl is away from the shavings, the cord in the coop is up off the floor and secured to the wall; the chickens can't get to it.

In any case, I think chickens become used to whatever schedule you put them on. So if you're only able to provide fresh, unfrozen water in the a.m., that is when they will drink their fill. Feeding FF may improve the situation.

 

[chickenmomlove]

I too just give fresh water twice a day in the winter- all seems fine so far. We live in western PA and the days have been cold to say the least,but spring will be here early according to Puxatony Phil!!

 

[grannyB]

get a solar panel a battery and a 12 volt heater!

 

[makeyourown]

I made a water heater with 1 large round cookie tin and a 40watt light bulb,,, connected to a lamp replacement kit 10$ at lowes, NE gets real cold here in the winter.

the water sits just above the tin been using for over a month now... works amazing,, you can use different watts- I wouldnt go over 40 - this week I am changing to a lower watt

 

[jdeoliveira74]

get a solar panel a battery and a 12 volt heater!

they make a 12 defroster for a car that may keep it warm enough

 

[Missys Cottage]

I ran extension cords out from the shop cutting the ends off and wiring up a light bulb socket protected by a cinder block. Bulb doesn't need to be burned all the time--only when its really cold. Fount is suspended above block. Screw holes in socket are silicone caulked. Yes, they will peck at the ice but just last night 13 birds almost emptied a 3 1/2 gallon fount cause I forgot to screw in bulb. I would prefer that my ladies don't have to walk in mud all winter!