As winter hits! What to use for water?

[TheChiggens]

What are the best water bowls for winter? With chickens.

Its realy discouraging every morning to crack ice. And throuh out the day. As temps are in the teens. It continues to be a time consuming chore.

Its hard to decide heated water bowl, rubber bowl, nipples, metal bowl?

I have kinda a low budget so nothing to complex.

What do people think?

 

[PioneerChicks]

I just use a bin with a heating rock in it. I think they cost a couple hundred dollars, but they work great! You always have to make sure there is water in the bin, because if there is no water than the rock will burn out.

 

[DiYMama540]

Heated buckets...life savers!

I'm not sure this is the brand I have, but I do remember them being around $25.

 

[Folly's place]

For a few chickens, a heated dog dish works fine. Roosters with large wattles could have problems, getting them wet, and freezing, and chicks won't swim in it either.
For more birds, the metal heated bases for metal waterers work very well. I have two of them out there, in separate areas of the coop, so nobody has to wait, and one will always be full, if the other one fails.
Black rubber pans, refilled three times daily, are an option if there's no electricity out there. Too much extra work, especially if you are gone all day, every day.
I have zero experience with the nipple waterers, and won't do a 'do it yourself' electric heater to use with a waterer.
Do have at least a GFI outlet!
Mary

 

[Mybackyardpeepers]

Agree, I use a 1.5 gallon heated dog water bowl. The one I have (haven't researched others) have a temperature control and only runs when the water reaches a certain temp.

 

[Peppercorngal]

I have read that simply putting 3 ping pong balls in the water works, (you can google that) and this other website talks about a device to heat the bottom of the water for only $50. I'm glad I don't have your problem. I refuse to live where it snows! Good Luck!

https://thegrownetwork.com/how-to-keep-chicken-water-from-freezing/

 

[Folly's place]

Anything will work if it's not very cold!
California looks good in January, but having seasons and snow is actually kinda nice...
Mary

 

[TheChiggens]

I enjoy seasons up here in Maine. It just comes with its struggles.

Also great advice guys!!!

 

[kerbotx]

I have electricity in the coop, so I keep a DIY contraption in there, and rubber bowls outside with a brick or large stone in each one. From the Chicken Chick - turn a cookie tin into a heated base for a plain plastic waterer, with old lamp parts & a lightbulb inside it, plugged into a thermocube so it only runs when needed:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/make-cookie-tin-waterer-heater-under-10/
Finding a light bulb that runs hot enough was the hardest part! If you want to go even cheaper, put the lamp inside a cinder block

 

[TheChiggens]

Very inventive!