How do I keep the chickens water cool?

[chick on a stick]

We have hot summers here in TX. I have been using bucket watererers with chicken nipples. The outside of the buckets get hot and warm up the water. Is there a way to keep the water cool?

 

[BellevueOmlet]

Add ice cubes - just kidding.
If you wrap it in insulation, it should help block it from the sun and keep it from heating up as much.

How hot is the water getting?

 

[Clay Mudd]

Quote:
That's actually not a bad idea. I add chunks of ice to my waterer now and then. IIRC, Gail Damerow wrotes that chickens seem to like to the water to be between 55 and 65 degrees F.

 

[bryan99705]

Depending on container size, a frozen milk jug might work, throw it in then back in the freezer at night to reuse the next day

Is it a possible danger if the temprature difference is significant to harm the birds?

 

[christina1982]

It's funny that you said "ice cubes"...because i've so done that

My chickens are becoming ridiculously spoiled

 

[chick on a stick]

Adding ice cubes is what I have been doing. The frozen milk jug sounds like a great idea. I will try that. The water is just getting really warm.

 

[CaroleW]

I just filled up a milk jug and an old plastic coffee container with ice & a little water and set it in the water bowls.

Supposed to be 101 today here in Mesa AZ so I also ran the sprinklers before I went to work to get the ground wet around the run areas (not really IN the runs, just barely sprinkled the edges) and I put a wet towel over an area of the run for evaporative cooling and additional shade. Hoping that will help keep them cool until I get home after work.

I'm new to keeping chickens so I'm learning...

CaroleW

 

[pinkwindsong]

first thing I thought of was icw as well .. i will do that for the dogs in hot summers.. i know its harder with the nipple waterers.. so maybe a combo of ice and wrapping with insulation would do the trick.. I know Im going to be dealing with the same problem this summer too.. I was also thinking of setting up a mister over the coops run.. like the ones they have at Zoos etc. that are in the vine archways that you walk thru that have the misters in there and you cool off as you walk thru.. I know they have them for dog kennels so im sure I can rig it to work on the chicken coop runs..
good luck with the heat.. )O(
Pink

 

[darkmatter]

unglazed terra-cota jugs stay cool along with canvas waterbags. I don't know---do they make something like that for livestock?

 

[onecent]

Quote:

, "Spoiling chickens!"

We dont do that here!!..................