Freezing water

[EmAbTo48]

5 gallon heated water buckets (used more for horses) works great for our ducks!

Chickens we have a heated water. Each were pretty pricey. But worth it since I only put water in the chickens when its low last usually a week. Never freezes up!

I tried the dog bowl they just pushed crap into the water all day

 

[Going Quackers]

Hasn't happened yet! well in the barn... clearly 8 ducks are warm lol we hit -7C and the water was slushy but not frozen.. eventually though we'll just add a heated water container.. still debating on what... i have one from the horses.. the cord is protected and ducks don't have teeth... i have cords running all over the darn farm they pay no mind to them at all...

 

[coonhoundmama87]

I have never had my ducks, chickens, geese or sheep try to chew on the cords.

 

[Oregon Blues]

I just go out every morning and break the ice.

A maul works well, but I have a tool that looks like the blade of a mattock mounted an a very long handle. I can stand well back and get some leverage into the blow. If ice is really thick, it can be used to chop.

I'm afraid to use a heater because the ducks are really good at splashing all the water out of their bowls and I don't want a tank heater running in an empty container. My ducks will definitely nibble on cords, so if you use anything electric, have the cord protected.

 

[duck&chickencrazy]

For the ducks swimming pool I use a horse tank heater and for my waterer in my coop I hang a heat lamp above the waterer which keeps the coop warmer and keeps the water from freezing.

 

[jaycee]

I read somewhere, maybe it was here about someone fashioning a heater for underneath their poultry waterer out of a metal cookie tin and a light bulb inside.... does anyone know how thats done exactly? I would think if the temps were very cold that the heat lamp above may allow the water to freeze at the bottom where the ducks drink it, whereas heat resonating from below might keep the bottom of the waterer thawed.

 

[Kschwartz]

I all do is put a heat lamp over their water bucket.. simple and I never have any ice!

 

[happyhensny]

Here is the cookie tin heater link-http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=107951 I've used them in my chicken/Peacock/Pheasant pens for years but the ducks have unheated rubber bowls-break the ice every day. Too worried about their splashing with electricity and water is 200+ ft away= not lugging huge amounts of water daily for a big pond/stock tank.