Help! 11 degrees ºF outside and need some water!

[centrarchid]

With quail. I would find a way to keep entire operation just above freezing.

 

[NHMountainMan]

I am trying to find science to back your assertion up about eating snow. I am not finding it yet. Closest thing comes from forums not like this one where humans are the species involved. Wildlife in cooler climates may not have access to open water for extended periods. Wildlife is often eating food items that are more hydrated. Our confined domestic birds are eating feeds that dehydrated to the extreme to prevent feed degradation during storage.

Cant speak for chickens - but humans shouldn't eat snow to hydrate - it used calories to heat the snow into water, and those calories are better used to keep limbs and organs warm. It can lead to faster onset of hypothermia.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I was watching a free-range group very closely. They appeared to get most of moisture intake through eating snow. They did not bother to approach water source out for dogs. The dog bowl is used by chickens when ground is dry.

The birds spread snow consumption over hours with most in morning.

Thanks for that info.

 

[NHMountainMan]

I second the horizonal nipple use. I was worried that the chickens would take time to learn. But once I tapped on the nipple, they started pecking and had it figured out in minutes.

 

[Quail_Kid]

Are the birds mature?

Yes, about 25 weeks old.

 

[centrarchid]

Yes, about 25 weeks old.

I know from experience that adults are more resilient in the face of restricted access to water. They are also more tolerant with respect to delivery methods where a larger water container can be used to increase time before freezing if heating is not an option. On the whole others with more direct experience with quail are addressing your issue now.

 

[woodmort]

That's why I use the old style metal waterers, with heater metal bases. They have worked fine here in -15F weather. I have two set up in the coop, so if one fails, there's another.

Exactly

 

[Kluk-Kluk]

That's why I use the old style metal waterers, with heater metal bases. They have worked fine here in -15F weather.
Mary

I had my husband make a homemade water heater from a cookie tin. Found the instructions online. Has been working like a charm. Have to have tungsten bulbs, though, which I've saved up.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/make-cookie-tin-waterer-heater-under-10/

 

[gtaus]

I had my husband make a homemade water heater from a cookie tin. Found the instructions online. Has been working like a charm. Have to have tungsten bulbs, though, which I've saved up.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/make-cookie-tin-waterer-heater-under-10/

I have heard of these too. The instructions say to use an old fashioned incandescent bulb (40 watt or 60 watt) which I like because they are easy to replace when they burn out, which they will do. I like this design because it has metal all the way around the cookie tin - no plastic to burn through. Thanks for posting that link.

 

[sharrielee]

Have you tried a heated dog bowl? That is what I use. Can you put it inside the coop or up close to it?