Gotta get help before the

[rancher hicks]

I gotta hear from people who live in the cold states. I'm in NY. I need to know what you use for waterers and how you deal with the cold and keep your waterer from freezing if you do?
Do you use plastic, metal?
Do you use a heater/warmer?
The way the summer's been this year snow could be around the corner.

 

[ahappybrood]

so I am new to the whole chicken thing but I have a friend and a book I have referred to many times with many questions including this one. We purchased the galvanized metal waterer and when the cold weather comes there is an element that can be set under the waterer to keep it from freezing. You dont have to use the element until the water begins to freeze. If there is just a thin layer of ice they can peck right through to the unfrozen water but once you realize it may freeze solid thats when you need to get the heating element. We are in Massachusetts and I hear ya on this ridiculous weather we've been having. at this rate my girls will be prepped and ready for the winter. How old are your girls? Mine are 7 weeks today and I am shocked at how large they are. They eat like pigs and sometimes I worry they will eat themselves sick.
Ihope this was somewhat helpful : )

 

[Akane]

I use a heated wide mouth bucket. Open waterers do hold some danger though. You have to make sure your smallest chicken can touch the bottom either by getting a small enough container or putting a brick in it and make sure your largest chicken can't get wedged in it. Plenty of chickens have died in 5gallon buckets because they couldn't spread their wings to fly out or couldn't touch the bottom and drowned. They do make heated poultry waterers but I find filling and cleaning them far more difficult and annoying than a heated bucket. I don't even use poultry waterers for my chicks but give them rabbit bottles instead. Some people use rubber feeders that they just pop the ice out of several times a day.

 

[2DogsFarm]

I use a heated plastic waterbowl intended for dogs in my barn for the barncat. It holds about a gallon & cost about $30 at TSC.

I'll probably use the same in my coop this winter as I only have 5 pullets. Since I don't have electric run to my coop I'll have to use an outdoor-rated extension cord.

I also considered buying a gel-filled plastic disc you heat in the microwave - it's supposed to stay warm for 8 hours.
About $30 at PetSmart.

 

[Rivka]

well It was 111 heat index today....but here is what we did with FFA meat birds for the cold.
Sealed up the wire parts of coop with heavy gage plastic/duct tape.Painters drop cloths were the cheapest.
Put the red and some white heat lamps at various heights. Also clamped one on the hanging steel waterer. It was quite cozy even on the coldest days.