Best thing for water over the winter

[Alicrawf914]

What is the best thing to use for water over the winter? We currently have a plastic waterer and I dont want it to crack from freezing?

 

[CluckerFamily]

Do you have electricity to the coop?
I have a plastic waterer that sits on a waterer heat base.

 

[Alaskan]

What is the best thing to use for water over the winter? We currently have a plastic waterer and I dont want it to crack from freezing?

How cold will it get where you are at?

A plastic waterer can be ok as long as it doesn't freeze solid. In very cold temps (below -20F) it can get brittle.

I have busted many waterers... because they have frozen solid... I now use rubber pans. I dump them upside-down, pop out the ice cube, and pour in fresh water.

When it gets so cold that the water freezes solid in less than an hour, I use a deicer in the rubber pan.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I use a heated base with a Galvanized fount inside well ventilated coops and rubber bowls outside.

Put rubber bowls on south side of coop in sun and don't fill to brim. Surface will freeze quickly on windy days if filled to top. GC

 

[GRB73]

I use a heated dog dish for our 3 hens. They don't complain.