Getting water to your birds when the hose is frozen

[432bullet]

I use a 100' garden hose that runs to our coop. It has quick disconnects and I just blow it out with air from my shop compressor when I am done. The coop has drains on all the pipes. This works good in Missouri as long as I don't get lazy. You have to take enough time to be sure the water is all out, Not that hard, easier that carrying water when it is iced up.

 

[Chicken Happy]

When it is in the 30's - low 20's, my freeze free hydrant is nice (as it is next to the coop....gave up on hoses this time of year). When it dips into the teens, the hydrant handle gets cranky, so it is a long trudge from the shop to the coop with water. However, a cheap plastic sled works well for the haul....provided it is not to icy - then it is just pure mayhem. Ahh, chickens in winter.

 

[Going Quackers]

When it is in the 30's - low 20's, my freeze free hydrant is nice (as it is next to the coop....gave up on hoses this time of year). When it dips into the teens, the hydrant handle gets cranky, so it is a long trudge from the shop to the coop with water. However, a cheap plastic sled works well for the haul....provided it is not to icy - then it is just pure mayhem. Ahh, chickens in winter.

Sleds can be quite handy, we bought a utility type many years ago, we bucket water and it's a ton of work but everyone must have water, we have some heated equipment too, like for the horses, still need to get the sheeps set up for the year. You definitely build muscles.

 

[WhiteAfrican923]

The only thing is with the jerking of trying to pull the sled if you don't have covers on your buckets then the water goes everywhere.

 

[432bullet]

When we have an ice storm, We use the Kawasaki mule to get around, ( It doesn't fall down like old guys do)