Freezing water

[Cindy LouHou]

Does anyone have idea on how to keep water from freezing on days when it does not get above freezing temp.?

 

[Casey3043]

There are many products for sale at feed stores and through farm supply and hatchery catalogs which keep the water from freezing. Of course you need electricity at your coop, or a LONG extension cord.

There are also some ingenious people who have designed and made their own water heaters, and plans for these are available on this site. Just do a search for "water heaters".

Spring is not far away !

 

[NoraWI]

I fill a jug with slightly warm water and take a new container into the coop to replace the frozen water twice each day. There is no electricity in my coop. The only "source" of heat is the deep litter and decomposing manure that I sprinkle with DE. The coop with its large south-facing windows is warm enough for the chickens (except for the recent below zero nights which they endured) but the water container sits on the earthen floor on an inch-thick board and I find it frozen each morning. Not so in the afternoon. But even when the water is not frozen, it needs changing because the hens dirty it (as they also would with a heated water dish). Works for me.

 

[Bookworm chick]

Quote:
NoraW, you're routine is the same as mine. My coop doesn't have electricity either. I also use the deep litter method. I use hot tap water, because by the time I walk to the coop (7:30-8:00) in the morning, open the pop-door, etc. it does cool slightly. The hens look forward to their heated drink. Like you, my water is frozen in the morning, but when I go out around 4 pm, it hasn't froze at all. I just give them a fresh container of the hot tap water at that time. My water container sits on top of some round paver blocks which is the right height for my bantams.

 

[Ridgerunner]

A good passive way to help keep the water from freezing is to use one of those black rubber dishes and set it in the sun. If it freezes, turn it over and stomp the ice out. In the sun, mine stays ice free down into the lower 20's. This obviously won't work all the time and it freezes overnight but it makes my life a lot easier. I set it up on blocks to the height of the smallest chick's back. It stays surprisingly clean.

 

[rancher hicks]

I have tried the "gycerine" routine and used 5 capfulls from the little bottle my wife uses in cake making. It seemed to help some. Though there has been ice it is not frozen solid. I have one red heat light near the top of my coop and so far have had not rock solid situations. Maybe once. I have used the hot water method a few times and have gone out and filled them twice or three times in a day. I usually filll them at night around 6pm. I have a small red wagon that I drag everything to the coop with, so there is no back and forth. Also I have chronic tendenitis in both hands so it makes things doable. I use the "red" gallon jugs and use milk jugs to keep the water from spilling on the way to the coop. I also can add vitamins on occassion. I have spare jugs so I can wash them inbetween fillings. Chickens backwash, yuk. Oh I do have a white heat light on in the coop during the day, goes on in the morning and is turned off at night.

 

[FlashPointFarm]

I took a plastic barrel and cut it to about 10", and I use a livestock tank heater. I set it directly under the water spicket so I don't have to carry water. The ducks love it, they dive right in.

In my breeding pens I use the rubber black pans and empty them every night into a bucket. You can oil them and the ice will slide right out. Works pretty slick!

 

[jfrazier]

My son gave me a pet bowl for christmas that plugs in and keeps water from freezing, I just have to fill it up every evening. It works great!

 

[RockwaterFarm]

I have a water heater for my main coop, but i have to bring hot water out to the small coop. I use a rubber bowl that I can hit without damaging it. i think the rubber holds the heat longer than a metal bowl too.

 

[san415]

I tried 4 different heated dog style bowls. They just seem to take longer to freeze but the top still will freeze everyday and every night. It has been very cold here in Michigan, below freezing all day most days. I thought with the first bowl from wal mart that it was just cheap and didn't work. Then next bowl came from petsmart, didnt work any better. so then I checked to make sure the electric worked and it did. So next I ordered one online and while waiting for it the tsc got some in and since someone said they worked I picked one up from there, I think they only work if the temp is above freezing and then I dont need them.

So no I never returned any of them but the first one from wal marts. What a waste, but I didnt keep my reciepts. I just fill the water dish ( a black one) every morning. When I get home from work its dark out so they dont need any more till the morning.