56 Gallon waterer to prevent freezing in the winter

[bevis]

I don't think you do if you are willing/able to be inconvenienced during the cold spells. I think it would be for a day or two now and then. Maybe a little more some years.

Inconvenienced meaning things like extra checking on the tank and the drain, adding some heat if needed (it could be milk jugs of hot water sunk near the drain), there are quite a lot of such things.

Or insulate - partially bury it, bank the tank with sawdust or ground corncobs or bales of straw or whatever, insulate the cover. If you use commercial insulation then it is best to cover the insulation. Chickens like to eat styrofoam.

Or some of both if it is easy enough to do or you want the peace of mind.

I think I'll just get a caged heater to CYA. The bottom of the rubbermaid trough says caged heater only.

 

[Birdsonghill]

Makes me wonder if i even need a heater. I could wait and see if i have a freezing issue and then add a heater if so. Its warmer in Tennessee though.

Yes it is warmer here, My grand daughter lives about 90 miles north of me on the Kentucky state line and they get much more snow, ice and colder weather.

 

[bevis]

Yes it is warmer here, My grand daughter lives about 90 miles north of me on the Kentucky state line and they get much more snow, ice and colder weather.

I think I'll just get a heater in case. its cheap insurance.

 

[bevis]

Maybe an aquarium type heater?

I had reef tanks for 15 years before i called it quits. the money you need to do big reef tanks right is CRAZY. $2k just in lighting was nothing abnormal.
I have ZERO trust in any aquarium heater. I had a top line titanium tank heater go bad while i was gone out shopping and it killed every single small coral frag in a 5 foot long frag tank. it wiped out everything. never again would i trust an aquarium grade heater no matter how good they claim it is.

 

[Chicalina]

I've just put in some large polyethylene containers for feed and water. I too am sick of refilling every day and trudging back and forth carrying stuff. The black container holds a whole 20kg sack of pellets and the water container is 50 litres. I just bought cup and feeder kits on Amazon and installed them.

I figure if we get a hard freeze this winter (last year we had -15°C and a lot of snow), then I'll insulate with bubble wrap and it's in a sheltered spot rather than exposed so that should be fine. Chucking hot water over the cup valves might be needed.

I didn't put in a drain as I never envisaged emptying and cleaning it out very often, given that it has a tight lid and it won't get contaminated by dirty beaks due to the cup valves. Well that's the theory, we shall see. Its only been there a few days so far.

I like your ingenuity, OP. But it looks like a lot of effort and wood sawing!

I made two feeders and two waterers and it cost me £66 in total. I did have one container already that I repurposed from being a storage feed bin.

Happy to send links if anyone wants, though it's for UK Amazon.

 

[Sequestered Ridge Ranch]

Reason I posted them is here in SE Montana month or more of -20° or as low as -50° happens with wind chills down to -60° and it's what I use with a 1500W heater in a 50 gallon food grade poly tub.

 

[bevis]

Reason I posted them is here in SE Montana month or more of -20° or as low as -50° happens with wind chills down to -60° and it's what I use with a 1500W heater in a 50 gallon food grade poly tub.View attachment 3628526View attachment 3628527

WOW TG it does not get that cold here !

 

[bevis]

I've just put in some large polyethylene containers for feed and water. I too am sick of refilling every day and trudging back and forth carrying stuff. The black container holds a whole 20kg sack of pellets and the water container is 50 litres. I just bought cup and feeder kits on Amazon and installed them.

I figure if we get a hard freeze this winter (last year we had -15°C and a lot of snow), then I'll insulate with bubble wrap and it's in a sheltered spot rather than exposed so that should be fine. Chucking hot water over the cup valves might be needed.

I didn't put in a drain as I never envisaged emptying and cleaning it out very often, given that it has a tight lid and it won't get contaminated by dirty beaks due to the cup valves. Well that's the theory, we shall see. Its only been there a few days so far.

I like your ingenuity, OP. But it looks like a lot of effort and wood sawing!

I made two feeders and two waterers and it cost me £66 in total. I did have one container already that I repurposed from being a storage feed bin.

Happy to send links if anyone wants, though it's for UK Amazon.

Great job ! Mine was not really a lot of wood sawing with a cordless small circular saw. My cuts were unmeasured and brutally guessed at. It was not really hard at all.

 

[bevis]

OK, Im adding water to this thing every day just to keep it topped up during the non freezing weather. It appears that these 50 chickens in Kentucky summer are drinking about 7-10 gallons of water a day. I cant tell you how happy i am that i did this as i dont have to mess with cleaning and refilling waterers every evening . Just that in itself has made it worth it to me. I will keep updating this thread as the winter comes to see how this system works out.

 

[Chicalina]

One thing I noticed is that yours is sat directly on the ground. It will be less likely to freeze in winter if you set it up on some bricks or cinder blocks off the ground. You'll need to raise the step but you can just add a couple of bricks on top for them to climb on.

Also, if you site it nearer the building rather than out there exposed and isolated, it will be sheltered from cold and benefit from the radiated heat from the coop overnight.