Water freezing

[kkcummins]

Does anyone have any thoughts to share on keeping the birds water from freezing. Right now I have a heat lamp about 6 feet over the water fount, but just dropped it down to about 3 feet tonight. It's supposed to get down to 18 degrees tonight so I'm worried it still might freeze. It was 24 last night and the water froze solid. My girls were soooo thirsty when I got home from work at noon. Are the heated waterers worth the investment? Have seen negative comments about them, so am unsure if they are worth the investment.

 

[Black wallnut]

Does anyone have any thoughts to share on keeping the birds water from freezing. Right now I have a heat lamp about 6 feet over the water fount, but just dropped it down to about 3 feet tonight. It's supposed to get down to 18 degrees tonight so I'm worried it still might freeze. It was 24 last night and the water froze solid. My girls were soooo thirsty when I got home from work at noon. Are the heated waterers worth the investment? Have seen negative comments about them, so am unsure if they are worth the investment.

Thanks for posting the question!

Check out the link below. I built a version of one of these four years ago for less than $5, and it's still in use in my coop right now. I used a 40W bulb instead of the bulb shown in the article. The store bought heaters cost around $50, and they are a product of "Fine" RedChinese engineering. They may last a day, or years(Rarely), but when they crap out, they are done, throw it out and buy another. The bulb burns out in the cookie tin, it's easily replaced.
But do something, because that heatlamp is dangerous. I've read on here more than a couple of stories about people burning their coops down with a heatlamp. Get it out of there.






https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/cookie-tin-heater-for-water

Thanks for linking to an excellent answer, one that I think I will adopt.

Whats the big deal, plenty of viable options have been offered. heated dog bowls, work great, buying a heated base, or making 1 with a light bulb.
Yes water is a PITA in the winter, but can be remedied with many options presented on this forum.
This topic is posted over and over and over............................

Did you get a personal invitation? With a post count of 202 perhaps you don't "get" forums. They survive on fresh members posting fresh questions and getting fresh answers. Sure the same topics keep coming up, so what. If you don't feel the need to reply in a constructive way why bother. I've been using forums for much of my day to day research for years and I seldom use a search function within one. Sorry if that annoys you however many folks are exactly like me and do not wish to search archives for answers to their questions. They and I would rather engage others in cyber conversation. Will you join in that conversation with what has worked for you and why? Water need not be a PITA, heck if water is a PITA then what else in raising or keeping your chickens alive is a PITA? It for me is a labor of love.

 

[Sharon Bee]

I agree totally Black Walnut. These forums are for communicating and asking questions.

 

[1muttsfan]

Yes water is a PITA in the winter, but can be remedied with many options presented on this forum.
This topic is posted over and over and over............................

And well worth mentioning again this time of the year - no need to be rude.

Some folks use a heavy rubber feed tub, made for livestock, and just put out fresh water a few times daily. You can flip the tub over and give them a good thump, and the ice pops right out.

Remember that chickens can eat snow too, so if their water is frozen for part of the day they will not die of thirst - just make sure they have water first thing in the morning, and later in the day as well.

 

[Fred's Hens]

That is one expensive way, not to mention an energy waster.

A heated dog dish works well. A heated water fountain works. A light bulb in a cement block with metal water fountain placed over it works well. Low wattage bulb is all that's needed.

There are literally dozens and dozens of threads on the subject and a lot of people have creative, solid ideas.

 

[JackE]

Check out the link below. I built a version of one of these four years ago for less than $5, and it's still in use in my coop right now. I used a 40W bulb instead of the bulb shown in the article. The store bought heaters cost around $50, and they are a product of "Fine" RedChinese engineering. They may last a day, or years(Rarely), but when they crap out, they are done, throw it out and buy another. The bulb burns out in the cookie tin, it's easily replaced.
But do something, because that heatlamp is dangerous. I've read on here more than a couple of stories about people burning their coops down with a heatlamp. Get it out of there.






https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/cookie-tin-heater-for-water

 

[jerryse]

And well worth mentioning again this time of the year - no need to be rude.

Some folks use a heavy rubber feed tub, made for livestock, and just put out fresh water a few times daily. You can flip the tub over and give them a good thump, and the ice pops right out.

Remember that chickens can eat snow too, so if their water is frozen for part of the day they will not die of thirst - just make sure they have water first thing in the morning, and later in the day as well.

This is what I use mostly. I have heaters but chicken math struck years ago and the extra pens for each breed or color made it hard to keep enough working heaters. All said it works fairly well but is a pain until april.

 

[Wingleader]

Personally, I like getting more "up-to-date" info, and tend to avoid threads that are "dead" (i.e. a year or two or three old). It's not active anymore, so I feel as though if I ask questions in the thread I might not get answers.

That aside, I have a 5 gallon bucket with nipples on the bottom. Would a bird bath de-icer and a small water pump, just to keep the water moving, do the trick? My research is telling me yes, but I wondered if anyone who has done this has had any major issues other than the nipples freezing (which I'm hoping the pump will solve). Right now the temperature is at about 15-20 degrees F at night, but it can get in the single digits sometimes. It's also MAJORLY windy where I am, though I'm planning on wrapping the coop in heavy gauge plastic for the winter once I get the wire up.

 

[nguyenkinhphuc2]

My chicken water froze this morning, too. But I reallized that water inside a bucket with a bunch of leaves didn't got freezing. So

1. I put a smaller bucket inside a bigger bucket, and fill leaves between these two bucket to insulate water.
2. I fill the smaller bucket with water, and add some leaves in smaller one to lower water freezing point.
3. I cover both buckets at night to reduce wind effect.

Hope everything is OK.

 

[jetdog]

Wingleader I have the same setup as you, I bought this stock tank heater at tractor supply 250 watts with a built in thermostat, it will keep 30 gallons of water thawed so 5 shouldn't be a problem, 20 degrees here with a 20 mph wind and no problem at all, safe for plastic and keeps the water flowing through the nipples, I bought the push in nipples.