How do I keep my chicken's water liquid in cold times?

[cleoppa]

Hello,

So I've had chickens about 2 years. I grew up in a place that pretty much never froze and it rarely does here. Well, it's fixing to be a cold, cold winter. I've already had their water freeze over once. I gave them a dish of liquid water and it was cool.

However, I'm planning on going on vacation for the holidays. Usually they're pretty self sufficient, have someone check on them every couple days. Not sure what to do if it's freezing though.

Are there any electrical devices or additives to the water that will keep it from freezing?

 

[QuailRaiser]

You can get a special "electric water heater". or if you're at home, you can fill it up with hot water in the mornings

 

[nihil]

I use a 5 gallon bucket with poultry nipples in the bottom and use this deicer (http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/farm-innovators-multi-use-utility-deicer-250-watt).

It was 15 degrees last night and the water and nipples were working great this morning.

Prior to getting the deicer from Tractor Supply I had a bird bath deicer which kept the water thawed but wasn't enough to keep the nipple from freezing.

Alternatively you could build the cookie tin heater that has been discussed on these forums (basically an incandescent light inside a cookie tin that you then place underneath your waterer.

A quick search of the forums will generate quite a few results, too.

 

[Eggcessive]

The 5 quart electric dog water bowls work well for me, but you need an outlet or a long extention cord. Those come on at 35 degrees and go off at 45 degrees, so the water is always cold, but not frozen. They use about 50 watts, and you can use cheap stainless dog bowls that fit inside and switch them out if you don't want to clean the electric bowls.

 

[Mountain Man 60]

Not sure if you have a auto source for water like a hose or rain water capture. If you do not and install a tin roof and plastic gutter you can get out of carrying water to your coop. Put an aquarium heater in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket with lid and nipples fed from the gutter you have a auto watering system as long as it rains once a week. I have eight chickens and this system has been working for months with no problems.