Watering your chickens in the winter

[KarennFallon]

Were you using horizontal or vertical nipples? If you still wanted to use a nipple bucket, the horizontal aren't supposed to freeze...

Even outside? I have seen some horizonal nipples with attached cups that hold water that would freeze, that was why we didn't start with those and we were afraid our high winds would keep them full of sand and debris. Are they for inside use only. We worry about dripping on our wood floor. So much to learn even after a few years with these girls.

 

[Mosey2003]

Even outside? I have seen some horizonal nipples with attached cups that hold water that would freeze, that was why we didn't start with those and we were afraid our high winds would keep them full of sand and debris. Are they for inside use only. We worry about dripping on our wood floor. So much to learn even after a few years with these girls.

No, not cups. Actual nipples. Let me get a picture...
Like these:
https://goo.gl/images/ex4C6k

 

[KarennFallon]

Interesting. Do they not drip when the hen presses on the nipples? Ha, I guess nothing is fool proof, but I'll check those out. Thank you.

 

[Mosey2003]

Interesting. Do they not drip when the hen presses on the nipples? Ha, I guess nothing is fool proof, but I'll check those out. Thank you.

You know, they do drip/dribble a bit. If I were putting it inside, I'd probably chuck one of those black rubber pans underneath to catch it. But, they don't *leak*, it's just some dribbles as they're drinking from it. Mine's been outside in the run with a K&H Pail Deicer in it and it's been down in the teens, and the nipples haven't frozen up or leaked, so I'm thinking it will work for me.

 

[wamtazlady]

I use horizontal nipples. I'm in Northern Montana. We have gotten down to -22 F here. So far my nipples have not frozen. Vertical nipples freeze due to there being a little bit of water that sits in the nipple as it hangs below the bucket. Horizontal nipples have a tiny o ring that seals water out of the nipple. Horizontal nipples are less likely to drip when the chickens are drinking and unlikely to drip when not being used as vertical nipples can sometimes do. My water system is easy. I use a 10 gallon plastic tote with lid (other people use other various containers), horizontal nipples, and a 250 watt stock tank deicer that is okay to use in plastic. It only needs filled once a week for a dozen birds. Let me repeat this one thing. It has gotten down to -22 F and the birds still had water. Water is kept outside in the run. Run has clear vinyl shower curtains covering 3 sides.

I used to live in Fallon. Best pizza in the world there. Don't remember the name of the place but it was on the west side of town in a shopping center.

 

[No More Empty Nest]

To answer your first question about your waterer, whether it adds to the moisture in the coop depends on what type of waterer it is. If it is like an open font or bowl type waterer, yes, it will add moisture. Vertical nipples tend to be leaky so would also add moisture. Horizontal nipples would probably not add moisture to the coop if they are attached to a container with a lid.

Thx!

 

[HappyHenHotel]

I read on one of my chicken-related FaceBook pages that you can add alcohol to your chicken's water to keep it from freezing. The person posting said he used 1 shot of corn whiskey per gallon of water, and that such a small amount has no effect on the chickens. I didn't have any corn whiskey, so I added a couple of shots of brandy - it worked!

 

[paneubert]

I read on one of my chicken-related FaceBook pages that you can add alcohol to your chicken's water to keep it from freezing. The person posting said he used 1 shot of corn whiskey per gallon of water, and that such a small amount has no effect on the chickens. I didn't have any corn whiskey, so I added a couple of shots of brandy - it worked!

Down to what temp? I am highly suspicious of the "add booze" claim since a shot of alcohol into a gallon of water will provide very little resulting percentage of alcohol. Even a shot of brandy at 35–60% alcohol by volume into a gallon only really nets you a tiny ABV.


A shot is 0.011 gallons. Google tells me that beer at 3-10% is only good down to 28F. Wine at 8-14% is only good down to 23F. Your chicken water is nowhere near either of those ABV values...

Let's say the brandy was 60% ABV (high end of brandy). So we have .011 X 3 shots = 3.3% of the gallon is brandy. 3.3% of the gallong X 60 ABV of the booze nets you 1.98% ABV of your gallon of water.

Should freeze somewhere in the 29-31 degree range. Might want to do a side by side test to see if neither freeze. Science!

By the way, welcome to the site! I hope I don't scare you off! Seriously. I am just a numbers guy. I would think getting the ABV high enough to not freeze the water would require it to be wayyyyy too high for your chickens to be drinking. Double edged sword. High ABV means lower freeze temp. But also means drunk chickens.

 

[Mosey2003]

Even booze doesn't stay that liquid in freezing temperatures, the vodka I keep in my freezer for pie crusts always pours out like syrup. If I added even half water to it, I bet it would freeze.

 

[Relleoms]

Even booze doesn't stay that liquid in freezing temperatures, the vodka I keep in my freezer for pie crusts always pours out like syrup. If I added even half water to it, I bet it would freeze.

Off subject, but I want to know more about vodka for pie crusts...