A cautionary tale of winter watering

[Callender Girl]

Every winter, I use electric waterers and heated dog dishes in my coops and shelters, and I use cords specifically for the outdoors and for sub-zero temperatures.

We had a LOT of snow in recent weeks, double-digit-below-zero temps that resulted in serious ice build-up, and, in the past week, above average temperatures and lots of melting.

Today, I went out to do chores, and there was smoke rising out of the ground in the ducks' run.

Although I make every effort to keep the cord plugs lifted up and off the ground, one of the connections between the extension cord and the electric dish had fallen onto the ground, the ice melted, and the connection fell into the water. Since I had been putting straw into the run so the ducks wouldn't sink in the mud, the melted connection was making the straw smolder.

I quickly unplugged everything, and although both the cord and the dish are ruined, I am sooooo lucky that nothing else happened. It was a freak incident, nothing like this has even come close to happening before, all of the connections are OUTSIDE the coops to lessen the chance of fire inside, and yet -- I have unplugged all the cords to all the coops and will be HAPPY to haul water out every day until the spring thaw.

 

[Folly's place]

Electricity and water don't mix, and it's great that you found this before it was too late.
What I've done is actually tie the heater cord to the wall above the heater, so the attachment is well above the floor, and can't fall to the floor.
Now my heater cords are plugged into outlets on the walls, GFI protected, so that's not an issue. And the extension cord to a heat lamp sometimes used in one coop section is again, held well above ground so it can't fall.
A few years ago we had an electrician set up the coop wiring, all in conduit, up to code, and as safe as possible, with a buried line to the coop. We feel safer, our insurance company is happy, and it was worth it.
Mary

 

[josephdad]

I have had an incident with watering in the winter too! It was actually the opposite: the water froze and I had work that day so when I came home, my dog hadn't had water the entire day!! I quickly melted it and refilled it and made sure my dog drank it before the water froze again. This happened my first winter owning her because it was my first time taking care of her. (She was more of an outside dog until this incident)

 

[Callender Girl]

I'm glad she less of an outside dog now.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I just use hot water, I don't use heated waterers.

 

[Folly's place]

I'm not motivated enough to get out there three times a day during cold weather to refresh unheated water dishes, and when I was working, it couldn't have happened either. We also have frost free hydrants for the coop and to each livestock waterer. Lugging water becomes impossible for large critters, or larger flocks. Another investment so worth it!
Mary

 

[Callender Girl]

I have to admit, I use heated waterers because of serious winter laziness. The goats and sheep have properly installed electricity over in their pastures. But, I have to carry gallons of water out to them. The hydrant -- installed by previous owners who had hogs -- is close to the barn, not to the ruminants' pens.

Then, there's the goose shelter, the duck shelter and five chicken coops that need water two or three times a day.

I have, however, decided to opt for more exercise and less electricity for the remainder of the winter. More monetary investment is not an option right now. If I had known I was going to have a major accident a month after I quit my 26-year-job, I would have been better prepared for early retirement.

Yet, from a mental health standpoint, leaving the job was still a great decision! I'd do it again.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Wow you're so fortunate to have found that! Electric scares me! I usually bring my water into the kitchen at night and take it back out during the day, but I only have one coop. It's a pain in the rear, but once the sun its it, it usually doesn't freeze enough during the day to prevent the girls from drinking unless temps dip below 20 or it's been actively snowing and cloudy all day.

 

[MamaBelle5]

We have a water heater for our waterer as well. Husband has it connected with a GFI outlet so if it gets water in it, it shuts off automatically.

We're planning on a big overhaul of the chicken's area this spring, and we are going to install electric in our new coop with an underground line. Fortunately for us, cost wise, my husband is able to do it on his own

 

[K0k0shka]

Lucky that you caught it in time! I have a heated dog bowl, too, but I have zip-tied the cord to the run fencing, going up, and the connection with the outdoor-grade extension cord is zip-tied 6 feet up in a sheltered spot.