frozen water

[bucky52]

I worried all day while i was at work that my water for my girls would freeze.the temps here in central VA.was 24 degrees.Their water was frozen solid and they had went to roost.I took water down to the coop and offered them some.a few would drink and some would not.drink.this morning it was 9 degrees.the reviews on the heated chicken water's was not good.so i took my brooder lights and hung them three feet above the water.does anyone have a source of finding a good heater for their water.
thanks in advance.

 

[JackE]

I've been using, and have great success with the cookie tin water heater. Been using it for three years. I use a 40W bulb in mine. Check the link.
Jack
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/cookie-tin-heater-for-water

 

[canesisters]

I'm in VA too and worried when they were forecasting our current cold weather.
I went to the local feed store hoping for one of those heated dog bowls but they didn't have any.
I picked up a LARGE rubber feed pan and a bird bath de-icer. So far, working GREAT.
It was about 10-12 degrees last night and I checked it around 5:30am - doing great.

 

[bucky52]

thanks i wiil try this.

 

[bucky52]

thats a good idea.

 

[missnu01]

I have been batting around putting a heating pad under their dish, I have also thought about running an aquarium heater in their auto waterer...but have done neither..I just take them thawed water every morning and then set the dish in the open door in the sun..haven't had any issues with the water refreezing during the day because it is usually above freezing here during the day...or it is just under freezing, but not cold enough to freeze again until night time...they don't drink at night so I guess that is alright...sometimes the autowaterer stays frozen for days on end...so I just make a lot of water trips. I don't mind though...I love reasons to go up and see the chickens...I just wish I didn't HAVE to go first thing in the morning...but I will...but man oh man, yet another reason I can't wait for springtime.

 

[audioguy]

Having the same problem when the temps went down to 11 last night. I have a system that uses a heated wire wrapped around a hose to the coop. The problem is the reservoir that feeds the hose, although inside the garage, froze solid. I currently have a ceramic heater parked next to the 5 gallon pail and its still just barely starting to thaw the ice.
I gave them water today and I've never seen them drink so much. Must have been frozen for more than a day.
I plan to use an aquarium heater, the completely submersible kind if the heater doesn't do the job by tomorrow. I think that maybe I will get another heated wire to wrap the pail, or try the tin can heater described here.
I wonder if that will work on a plastic 5 gallon pail without melting it. 40 watt bulb does not seem like a lot, but it will get hot.
Should I try hanging a heat lamp over the water or will that do nothing but waste electricity?

 

[bucky52]

The brooder lights worked for me today.I worry about fires when i used these last spring when i was raising my peeps.i hung them in the run this morning,but was still a little uneasy.i slipped away from work this evening to check on my girls.my little bantam Americauna was enjoying the warmth from them.she was really slow moving this am.i was worried about her.I can see she is not going to be winter hardy.

 

[superpickle11sp]

I have been having the same problem with frozen water and the last two winters I have tried a lot of things... I tried the cookie tin one and it didn't work but after I accidentally stepped on it and broke it one day I realized that a plastic bucket just won't work for it. I had also tried lamps over the water but last fall I had a fire and lost 25 meat birds and I am very wary of using lamps that aren't permanent. I plan on buying a metal waterer and trying the tin again but something has to be don cuz it was -20F yesterday with windchill! Any other ideas are totally welcome

 

[real_redhead]

Yep, I think we are all having the same problem. Today I worked from home and changed the water 3 times, each time it was almost frozen solid. The girls got warm oatmeal for a treat before going to roost. Now I am worried about the eggs freezing, I wasn't sure about 3 today...I have been wondering about the heated waterers might try the bird bath de-icer Thanks Canesisters