Help! 11 degrees ºF outside and need some water!

[ChickenCanoe]

I've used several. Any bird bath heater will work.

 

[Quail_Kid]

I've used several. Any bird bath heater will work.

Ok I saw how expensive the bird bath heaters are and that won't be a option for me thanks anyway.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

Warm water twice a day will work too.

If you read, warm water actually freezers faster than cold..it has something to do with the oxygen level

 

[Duckfarmer1]

I read online that if you put 1/2 cup of regular salt in a plastic water bottle...seal with duct tape...at least I did...and float it in the water. It’s because salt water doesn’t freeze. I didn’t believe it and neither did my hubby. I have two in my two big under the bed totes for the ducks..the third is heated. Anyways, since I’ve done it, only tiny bits of pieces of ice. Nothing froze. They were froze solid, so it’s not their beaks. Somehow, it’s working. It’s worth a try?

 

[trumpeting_angel]

I wonder if it could simply be something floating in the water, causing a little movement? Very interesting!

 

[sharrielee]

If anyone has roosters, they are better off with horizontal nipples and some sort of heated water reservoir.
With heated dog bowls or any other open container, the roosters will dip their wattles into the water in order to drink. Then the wet wattle freezes, get frostbitten and
eventually fall off.

It may not affect all breeds of roosters but it certainly does those with huge combs and wattles.

I am sure this could happen, but I have never had this happen in all my years of having chickens, an I have always used a dog water bowl.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I am sure this could happen, but I have never had this happen in all my years of having chickens, an I have always used a dog water bowl.

Do your roosters have wattles as long at those on this page?
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGP/Penes/BRKPenes.html
When drinking out of an open container, my roosters' wattles are just dripping water.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

I wonder if it could simply be something floating in the water, causing a little movement? Very interesting!

I also read that if you put a ping pong ball it’ll work too, but I thought that might be dangerous with ducks, and Chris thought that was due to the movement

 

[Duckfarmer1]

Do your roosters have wattles as long at those on this page?
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGP/Penes/BRKPenes.html
When drinking out of an open container, my roosters' wattles are just dripping water.

Those are great pictures

 

[hispoptart]

I fashioned a heated waterer similar to the one @aart made here.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-heated-waterer-with-horizontal-nipples.67256/

I didn't make the cage around it and it's not laying on the bottom. I just hung as close to the bottom without it touching and then secured it buy folding the cord over the top and wrapping electrical tape around it. So far it is working great. Temps have been as low as 15 degrees and it has not froze. I top off the water every other day or so to keep the water above the heater. If I did it like arrt, I would probably only have to top off every 5 days or so. I only have 3 chickens. I was worried that my girls would not use the HN's and aart said I might have to tap the nipples to teach them, but not my girls. As soon as I walked in the run with it, they were all over it before I could even set it down.