How cold drinking water?

[Ted Brown]

I have read that chickens:
- will use snow as a water source
- should be given lukewarm water during the winter.

Due to power outages both of my heated waterers have broken, currently replacing water multiple times per day due to freezing.

It seems my chickens do not drink water that is beginning to freeze which considerably shortens the time between replacement trips.

Will they drink water that is mixed with ice?

Thanks.

 

[neo71665]

Yes they will drink cold water.

 

[Iluveggers]

Maybe fill up a sealed container with the hottest water you can, and put that inside the waterer. It would help to keep the water from freezing a bit longer.

There are a bunch of ideas on BYC to prolong filling water when there’s no power source in freezing temps, you would probably get some more ideas if you search around!

 

[cluckmecoop7]

My chickens don't mind cold water.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I don’t use heated waterers for my chickens, I don’t trust them with electricity. Lol! They do nibble at snow and ice and will drink cold water. On days when temps are in the single digits I change their waterers out about every 1 to 1 1/2 hours. It’s a lot of work, but I just include that in my winter exercise program (along with shoveling paths and pushing the snowblower around). I keep my rooster separate from the girls and I have a special waterer for him so he won’t injure his wattle. It’s a thermos jug with a water cup attached. The cup does freeze but the water inside the thermos doesn’t. But the cup is easy to thaw and lessens the need for me to carry more hot water to the coops. These yellow cups are available on Amazon.