How do you keep your water from freezing?

[Grey's]

I bought a heated bucket from Amazon, its works wonders, I placed it in an old tire so they get up and reach the water, I have to admit with the cold weather we have had in -40 it started to freeze. I love it though sure saves having to go out and keep refilling the water.

 

[8 Chicks 1967]

I don’t heat my chickens’ waterer either. I empty it out at night and refill it with warm water in the morning and afternoon.

Just be careful because warm water sometimes freezes quicker than cool water. It's called the Mpemba effect.

 

[jthornton]

Just be careful because warm water sometimes freezes quicker than cool water. It's called the Mpemba effect.

That seems to be as rare as chicken lips... and difficult to reproduce here is the wiki link.

JT

 

[aart]

Just be careful because warm water sometimes freezes quicker than cool water. It's called the Mpemba effect.

That seems to be as rare as chicken lips... and difficult to reproduce here is the wiki link.

JT

I tested this, colder water froze just a bit sooner than the warmer, negligible difference

 

[8 Chicks 1967]

I tested this, colder water froze just a bit sooner than the warmer, negligible difference

it's what I have been told from a child and took my elders as the truth. Maybe it has something to do with the different solids. However, good to know. So, we can conclude its not worth the effort/ difference to heat the water?

 

[Abriana]

I use a heated bucket and screw the waterer nipples into the sides. Works great! Even at seven degrees F it’s not frozen when I let my chickens out.

 

[aart]

it's what I have been told from a child and took my elders as the truth. Maybe it has something to do with the different solids. However, good to know. So, we can conclude its not worth the effort/ difference to heat the water?

Heard the same story, why I tested it when I had a chance for it to be easy.
But I didn't take boiling water heated on the stove out,
just the from the hot tap on my laundry tub(120-130F)and the cold tap(~55F).
I take out warm water to top off heated waterer so as not to kick on the heater,
but that's a different scenario.

 

[sharkerbaby]

Someone asked me to report on the effectiveness of my waterer after it had been in use during the cold times. Like most of the rest of the country, we're in the midst of an arctic blast so I thought I'd report in and this seems like a great thread to do so.

I've been using this....

Working great! We've not made it above 10F since before xmas and at least 3 of those days didn't even reach highs above 0F with wind chills as low at -28F. Water is flowing fine out of nipples despite the very very cold temps. I'm pleased.

 

[CuzChickens]

I have a heating pad on high setting underneath my 3 gallon plastic waterer and it only freezes when it is less than 10 degrees outside

 

[Fairview01]

I use a cinder block and place a light bulb in the hallow cavity. The socket itself is bolted to a base fitting snuggly inside the block. I then place a ceramic tile directly on top of the block distributing the heat evenly while protecting the plastic waterer. Hope this helps

Same for my water. Probably one of the most cost effective solutions available if you have electricity within a couple hundred feet of the coop. A 100' 16ga extension cord is $15.00 plus pocket change. The actual materials outside of the extension cord is under $10.00. 1.16 for a half cinder block, about that much for a switchless socket. Scrap wood for attaching socket - free. I wasn't about to cut off the plug on a 100' extension so I used a 6' cheapy cord. Really the most expensive and hardest to find was the old school 100W incandescent light bulbs that generate heat. LEDs don't do that. I added a shield in the form of a soda can with the one end cut out to slip over the bulb and protect it from condensation drips and rolled up a small piece of cardboard around the soda can to insulate and direct the heat upwards. I only use this when temps will be below freezing during the day.