automatic watering bowl system to freeze or not to freeze

[crazgypsyblond]

Hey y'all I'm looking at trying to set up a new watering system for my flock of around 30 birds. I bought the chicken nipple this summer and my ladies and roosters refused to use that system, I tried it several different ways. I'm looking now at the automatic system here: https://m.www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/automatic_water_bowls.html

But I'm trying to figure how to keep the water from freezing (in PA in the cold cold mountains). Their website doesn't offer any subtle ideas so I emailed aand asked what they recommend as they manufacturers but what do you ladies think? I'm planning to hook it up to a large trashcan sized water container and in the nipple system I was going to us a medium pond heater in the water holder but the hose going to the bowl is small and it looks like it would freeze easily. I can't wrap it caught the ladies & gents will tear apart anything I use (I could wrap it and then cover that in a pic pipe...). Alright what do y'all think?

 

[kurczaki]

I have a simple system and the problem is that the valve freezes. I am not sure if you can use it in the winter.

 

[crazgypsyblond]

The company returned my email with a single phrase. "This system should be used in warm area..." it doesn't have a water to make it freeze resisted after the fact. If they made the bowl metal it could easily be used with an antifreeze system. Ugh. Might just need to design and make my own, darns.