Frozen waters

[MotherofOrpies]

i use 3 bricks, put them in a kind of circle, in the middle 1-3 candles you use at a grave, and on the bricks a pot with water

 

[aart]

1-3 candles you use at a grave

@MotherofOrpies .... A live flame?
Got pics, please?

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[MaddChickens]

There's not much I know about the nipple waterers, but one thing that's been working for me so far is putting pingpong balls in the water container (I use a typical gravity waterer). Maybe that could help?

 

[aart]

There's not much I know about the nipple waterers, but one thing that's been working for me so far is putting pingpong balls in the water container (I use a typical gravity waterer). Maybe that could help?

@MaddChickens Usually that only works if there's a good wind to blow the balls around.
Got pics, please?

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[MotherofOrpies]

Something like this, just leave enough space between the bricks that the flames get enough air, the candles are in a plastic case, and for safety reasons, I also put them in glass or porcelain containers so they can’t fall, there are heavy glass candle holders out there, I think I got mine from Ikea, but porcelain single muffins cups also do the job, and on top a metal or stoneware pot with the water, the colder it gets, the more candles you need, right now I don’t have anything built up cos it only goes below at night, and during day the water doesn’t freeze right now, I can show you later how I do it, but got a wonky foot right now and can’t do stuff the way I usually do

 

[kerbotx]

I have done this in the past. First of all, I live in the South and it doesn't get nearly as cold as NJ. The cookie tin warmer did help when the temps hovered around upper 20's to 30's. When it dropped down into the teens or lower, the cookie tin did not work as expected. Another issue I had with this solution is that it is getting harder and harder to find incandescent bulbs. Most are now LED.

Anyway, just my experience.... I still have the cookie tin warmer I made, but never use it. I did buy a heated base from TSC which works much better and wasn't terribly expensive.

The Trump administration rolled back some of the restrictions on incandescents, so they have been easier to find since then, although I think my local farm store always carried them. And although a lower wattage, a refrigerator bulb also works. I would imagine this setup would work best with a metal waterer, to distribute the heat even better.

 

[indianaducks]

I have a heated bucket that sits in a wooden box and so far has worked great. We also have a plastic tub with a water de-icer type thing from TS. That all also sits in a wooden box to prevent ducks from swimming and burning themselves. The de-icer keeps the water mostly thawed, just has a thin layer of ice on top in the morning. I usually just bring out two gallons of hot water from the kitchen sink and fill up whatever needs water. I have ducks, not chickens.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Something like this, just leave enough space between the bricks that the flames get enough air, the candles are in a plastic case, and for safety reasons, I also put them in glass or porcelain containers so they can’t fall

I guess the types of candles you use put out relatively little heat? Even tea lights/votive candles put out enough heat to melt plastic and burn fingers.

 

[Frau anita]

Today in nj it was now cold enough to turn the chickens waterers into ice cubes. Even the horizontal nipples froze. I have two waterers. Ine that sits on the ground (3 gallons) and one that hangs with horizontal nipples. How can I keep them from freezing without any electrical source.
Every morning before I leave I have hot water for them. By the time they get out of the coop itll be warm. (I give water at 5:30 am before I leave)

This Summer When it was so hot I put a frozen milk jug in my 5 gal waterer. What if you fill a milk jug with hot water in the waterer. That might keep the water from freezing. Worth a try maybe.

 

[MotherofOrpies]

I use votive candles