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Thanks! I also purchased a heated dog bowl for about $20. So far it's working well. Even if I unplug it and let the water freeze overnight, when I plug it back in in the morning the water all thaws in about 20 minutes. (I'm admittedly not always the best about going out in the cold in the...

Thank you for finding pics/videos for us! One of my friends has explained this to me as a safe way to heat the coop in winter, but I have not yet actually seen her setup.

@Katherine Robertson I feel like I've read some good threads on solar for the coop in the past, maybe try a search of old discussions.

Thanks! Easy to clean is a good thing. I have one feeder I only use in a pinch because it's such a pain to clean.

I ended up buying this. The price was right and if it doesn't work out I have cats and dogs that can use it. http://www.murdochs.com/shop/farm-innovators-heated-pet-bowl/ I only have 5 chickens and do not go through even a gallon of water a day. I have tested it overnight to be sure it works...

Which one do you use? Do you like it? Has it lasted multiple winters?

Haha, I was just looking at Metzer's available ducks while you were replying! I really really want ducks too, but I'm trying to have some self control and wait until next summer when I can give the project the time it needs. More fencing is involved among other things.

The food and water is OUTSIDE not in the coop, so if they don't want to starve to death, they'll figure it out! I did put the food behind the wind block and mostly out of the snow to help out.

I'm in Colorado, your storm just blew in from the north this morning! 60 degrees yesterday and in the teens this morning! We have had a few inches of snow a few times so far, but this is the first we've had the cold with it. The last few times we got snow it melted out by afternoon mostly. I...

Today is my girls' first day with the heated dish... it's not meant to get above freezing today at all, so hopefully all is well. They were pretty hesitant to come out of the coop this morning, but they did come down the ramp, see the food, water, and snow, before heading back inside ;)

@LisabethBrooke I saw your post about frozen water just now, we were chatting about this a few days ago, some members provided some great solutions and links to older posts/threads about this topic. Have a look.

@Shandina I saw you post elsewhere about keeping chickens in cold climates and freezing water and we were having this discussion the other day about it. You may find some of the links in here useful!

I agree, it's the line and cups that will be tricky to keep thawed. if you bury the line between the barrel and coop the ground may help insulate it. I'm just speculating here. Also I know everyone's set up is different, but I'm not really concerned about chickens kicking dirt in the water in...

This sounds like a good adaptation, a pan inside the dog dish, I've got so many random stainless bowls, I bet one would fit!

and of course there are always plans for expansion ;) but probably not until next summer

I have 5 hens and about 50 square feet of fenced run and 20 square feet in the coop.

So this brings about another winter question from a newbie. Do you put bedding down in your run or just the coop in the winter? Currently I use pine shavings in the coop (which I conveniently get for free from a friend with a sawmill), and nothing in the run, it's just dirt and rocks and mulch...

I only have 5 as well, which is one reason I was considering the dog bowl option. My girls are not free range and size of the water container is definitely a factor. I want to give them enough water and take up as little of the run as I can.

I'm thinking of getting one for my cat anyway, so perhaps it will go in the chicken coop first and if it works it will stay there, and if not, then it's the cat's.

I suppose with the dog bowl if a chicken stands on the lip it may flip the whole thing. Just a thought. Also the volume is less so if you have a large flock it might not be enough water.