How do you keep your water from freezing?

[lewlew]

I have a 5 gallon bucket with the nipples on the side. Sunday morning it got down to about 27 here in Upstate South Carolina and the water had a thin layer of ice on top which wasn't too bad but I checked the nipples and they were frozen. So I went to Walmart and got an aquarium submersible water heater.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Tetra-Submersible-Aquarium-Tank-Heater-10-30-Gallon/10291809

Last night the whole bucket had an orange glow from the little light on it letting you know it was on. It had a suction cup to hold it in place. I put it down at the bottom next to were the nipples are. Once the water reaches a certain temp, the heater turns off.

 

[aart]

I have a 5 gallon bucket with the nipples on the side. Sunday morning it got down to about 27 here in Upstate South Carolina and the water had a thin layer of ice on top which wasn't too bad but I checked the nipples and they were frozen. So I went to Walmart and got an aquarium submersible water heater.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Tetra-Submersible-Aquarium-Tank-Heater-10-30-Gallon/10291809

Last night the whole bucket had an orange glow from the little light on it letting you know it was on. It had a suction cup to hold it in place. I put it down at the bottom next to were the nipples are. Once the water reaches a certain temp, the heater turns off.

Is it outside or in the coop?
Either way you might want to insulate the bucket,
and plug heater into a 32-45 degree thermocube so it only runs when ambient temps are in that range.

 

[lewlew]

Now I am freaking out! My daughter is on the way over to unplug it!

Is it outside or in the coop?
Either way you might want to insulate the bucket,
and plug heater into a 32-45 degree thermocube so it only runs when ambient temps are in that range.

 

[JackE]

I use a 10"cookie tin fitted with a lamp kit. (Similar to @GC-Raptor) I place it on landscaping blocks for the base and then 4" railroad-type timbers (bigger than landscape timbers). Until about 15 degrees I use a 40 watt bulb, lower than that and I switch to 60 watt. I keep my water in the run in a plastic hanging waterer. I also plug the heater into a Thermo Cube that turns on at 35 degrees and off at 45 degrees. Seldom do we have to think about the higher temperature during our winters, until this year it appears. If you are interested you can get the plan on The Chicken Chick's web site. So it won't tip over I keep the hanger attached in case some hens decide to get rowdy!

This is basically the setup I have. This is the 8th year for the cookie tin fount heater I built. Cost me less than $5. You can't beat that, with a BIG stick.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Since @aart mentioned me, I'll chime in a bit.

She posted a link to what I was doing with the dog bowls and I can repost it here if you want so the photos are here.

But this is my MOST IMPORTANT ADVICE that I would throw in on water in the winter: I NEVER USE "OPEN WATERERS" IN WINTER.

What I mean by an "open waterer" is a waterer that is just an open bowl of water like a heated dog bowl or any bowl that doesn't have "restricted openings". Restricted as in - wattles don't get in the water - and it isn't large enough to step in by mistake if there is a "skuffle" in the hen house.

In my short experience in keeping chickens during the winter I've learned that PREVENTION is always better than treatment. The restricted opening prevents getting frostbite on wattles or feet if there's an accidental stepping in the water bowl.

I know someone posted that their birds were getting wet feathers with a dog bowl waterer - using it the way I do keeps the openings restricted as it's just a heat source for the waterer that sits on top of it. I will help keep from anything else getting wet including the feathers, etc.

I fill the bowl with grit, then put water in the grit. Set the waterer on top of the grit. The water conducts the heat up into the bowl and jar. The one I use is small as I just use the chick water bases on a 5 lb honey jar that is = to 1/2 gallon. But I know another person that used the larger waterer set on the larger heated bowl filled with grit and water as above, then set the waterer on top.

I like this better than a plug-in waterer as you have to unplug and bring it in every time you change out the water. On these, you just switch in a second waterer and take the other in for cleaning. I used a couple of these when I had more birds in the flock.

This year I'm trying a different approach, but I used those dog waterers like that for about 4 years with success.

 

[VeggieGoneEggie]

I use a 5-gallon bucket with a horizontal nipple. Those don't leak... Inside, I have a de-icer, this one: https://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Chicken-Supplies/Perfect-Bucket-Heater-De-Icer-p2402.aspx It only uses 80 wats, and it turns off when the temp gets warmer. It only turns on when it's actually cold, and it only keeps the water above freezing, it does not heat the water. My water stays perfectly clean and the chickens can't get themselves wet with it. I've been really happy. I started using those horizontal nipples last year and now I won't use anything else, I like them so much. The de-icer is new this year. I've got two, for my two coops, and both are working really well. So far the water has not frozen and it's been getting down to 9F.

I just ordered a couple of those heaters! Glad to see you like them.

In another thread, I was talking about any concerns regarding using an extension cord with them...

 

[Naturegirl155]

I use the 5 gal bucket with vertical nipples, and then I've got a submerged heater, see link. So far its worked really well. We've gotten down to the 20s so far, and usually in Ct, we don't get much below the single digits Fahrenheit.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000TZ5A8I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm in CT in Litchfield County and heading into my first winter with chickens. I have no idea if I'm doing things right or not but I also submerged a heater (adjustable aquarium heater) in a 5 gallon bucket. I turned the heater all the way up after we had an 18 degree night and the reservoirs had a crust of ice on them. Since I turned up the heat, the reservoirs have not frozen but we also haven't had really low temps until tonight!
The bucket is outside the coop propped up on a cinder block. Sven and the Coopers have access to the water when I open the coop door in the morning.

 

[aart]

Now I am freaking out! My daughter is on the way over to unplug it!

No

I'm in CT in Litchfield County and heading into my first winter with chickens. I have no idea if I'm doing things right or not but I also submerged a heater (adjustable aquarium heater) in a 5 gallon bucket. I turned the heater all the way up after we had an 18 degree night and the reservoirs had a crust of ice on them. Since I turned up the heat, the reservoirs have not frozen but we also haven't had really low temps until tonight!
The bucket is outside the coop propped up on a cinder block. Sven and the Coopers have access to the water when I open the coop door in the morning.

An internal heater will not likely keep cups thawed as the valve is outside the warm water with a tiny hole/tube between them and the heated water inside the bucket.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I tried using the cup type heaters on bucket my first year keeping chickens. While I love the cups, I was not able to find a way to keep the cup itself and/or the spring from freezing up. Only way I think that could be accomplished is to use a heat lamp over your bucket aimed at the cups.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Unless you're talking about the horizontal nipples that seem to stay thawed quite well. But they don't have water in them to freeze.

@aart - your horizontal nipples do well in the winter, yes? I think, if installed at a slight angle so that any water left in the little drip cup can drain away, they should work without a problem. I also tried them but I just prefer my birds to have a "pool" to drink from rather than the nipples.