Frozen Water!

[newchickmom]

I feel so bad! I got home from work about 5 and went to feed the chickens and their water was frozen solid! It was 20 inside the coop. I was sure 2 of the red heat lights would keep it warm enough and I was wrong.
I feel like such a bad mom!! I filled up the 1gal waterer so they could all get a drink while I worked on the problem.
I already had all the parts to make the heater to go under the waterer, so my husband and I put it together and tested it. It is now out in the coop under the 3gal waterer. I hope it thaws it out! I will check on it before I go to work in the morning.
The girls seem to be fine with the temp, they were all on the roosts under the heat lights, but since I disturbed them, I gave them some scratch to help keep warm.

 

[SHELLY]

I've been having the same problem for the past 2 days. In the morning, frozen. In the afternoon, frozen. I did like you and poured some water in a dish for them to get a drink while I took the waterers inside, thawed them, cleaned and refilled. By the next time I go out to check, frozen.

They have lights and I haven't been opening the door to the run because it's just to cold. It's supposed to be 40 degrees tomorrow and mid 50's this weekend. Guess it's ust a battle we have to fight until spring.

 

[picklespickles]

you're not a bad mom.

in the winter, the water's going to get frozen some. do your best and then figure it won't harm them (i promise) to go a few hours with frozen water. promise. mine's water freezes over everynight and when i change it the next day, they don't come running over right away. that's how i figure whether or not they were overly thirsty. now, the goats do get thirsty. those i try to worry about. but even then, it's winter. it's gonna freeze sometimes.

 

[Frozen Feathers]

You're not a bad chicken mom, water freezes...
In the winter I use those rubber grain dishes for water, that way I can just pound out the ice with a hammer. I give them water twice a day and they seem to do really well. I have one heat light, but mainly just feed and feed some more.

Last year I had the 'brilliant' idea of putting a heat light right above my $30 plastic waterer in the hopes of saving some work for myself. Bad idea!! I melted a hole right in the top!!

Just keep pushing the corn and scratch to keep them toasty and they'll do well.

 

[paganfish]

I know...I have been having the same issue recently. It's not as bad as last Winter though since I have a heat lamp in there and it's 5 feet above the water bowls so the water has not frozen as much...only when it gets to like negative 0. Which has been all this past week over night. UGH! This week later we are suppose to get warmer days. We'll see...

Don't feel bad...it happens. You just gotta change the water regularly!

Pedro

PS I have those "Little Giant" 1 gallon waterers and the bottoms ALWAYS break in Winter because of frozen water...does anyone know if they are sold in tin or metal? The bottom parts? I have looked online and can't find them. Any help would be apreciated!

 

[newchickmom]

Thanks everyone, I just worry too much some times. I know the girsl will be warm enough, but I am concerned about going without water while I am at work all day if the water is going to freeze up so fast. This is the first time I have had chickens since I was little and These are my own! (I love living in the country!!!!!!!!

Good thing it is going to warm up a little later this week. We'll see how good that home-made warmer is. I should know by morning.

 

[Wolfpacker]

I came home from lunch today and was a bit concerned because my chicks' water was frozen. I changed water bottles and when I came home from work, it was frozen again. I was worried, but then I thought about how chickens have been doing just fine for years and years before they had electric heating lamps and things to keep their water from freezing. They'll be fine . . . I hope!

 

[hoosierhen]

Brrrrrrr! It's 6 degrees F right now. I'd gocheck the water now, but I don't want to get the girls stirred up. They think th minute I open th door it's time for breakfast! Their water was frozen this morning- so while they were enjoying some scratch, I thawed and re-filled it. I lowered a light to approx 18" above it, and when I checked it after work it was really cold, but not frozen.

 

[chickenranchwife]

Around here, we deal with frozen water every day. The heated waterers we got seem to empty out faster. It's supposed to warm up today and tomorrow so hopefully their water will not freeze. I still have three waterers that aren't heated so my dh gets to fill them. Today I will do my chores, as I don't have to go into work til later today. If it's nice today then my girls can come outside for the day.

 

[paganfish]

I also wanted to mention one thing I tried. (Sorry if it's already been mentioned). I put the one gallon waters INSIDE a heated dog water bowl and just fill IT when it runs low and dip back in there. It keeps the water from freezing and gunk from getting in there. This works too!

Pedro