How do you manage iced water?

[SmiYa0126]

I put a glass jar with very salty water, I'm talking 50%. Then I put it inside the waterer. Only freezes on the outside edges.

 

[Blue Raptor]

Break out the ice and pour new water in

Same.
I just LoVe going out first thing in the morning in the freezing cold to break ice (7/10 chance getting IcE wAtEr in my ShOeS! ) then pouring new water out (usually having to go back in for seconds).

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

This will be my first winter with chickens. I am in UP Michigan (zone 3b). I purchased a 250w stock tank deicer for a 5 gal bucket with nipple waterers that will stay in a covered and wrapped run.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

I put a glass jar with very salty water, I'm talking 50%. Then I put it inside the waterer. Only freezes on the outside edges.

Interesting. Can you post a pic or sketch out your method?

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Just 2 days ago I winterized the cattle (8), goat (2), dog (3), and chicken (@75) waterers for the winter. Of COURSE in the midst of setup, I remembered that two heaters burned out last spring and I was supposed to replace them sometime (but it's spring, right? I've got all summer! Riiight.) And a third old cattle tank heater gave out during setup. < Sigh > $300 yesterday (when did prices double on these things too?!?!?), and I've replaced the burned-out ones and now have spares on hand.

Further, I discovered that critters had chewed into electrical line running from a breaker box to a junction in our storage shed, from which power runs to an outlet in the coop. Not a quick fix!!! Dear hubby didn't account for raccoons when he installed the power. He ran it underground in conduit (good boy!), but where it exits the ground, the conduit is broken. And that's where I found the damage. No wonder that breaker keeps tripping off. So it's going to have to be dug up partially, conduit repaired, and wire replaced. Not in my skill-set and hubby is down for months with back injuries. Refuses to hire an electrician to do his job until he can do it in the spring, and I'm deathly afraid of electricity. What to do???

I had to revert to running extension cords, outside, on the ground. Luckily, we have plenty of those on hand. One very heavy-duty 100' cord from a brand-new GFCI outlet in the shed, out to the coop. Surge protector installed inside (protected area). More extension cords from that to the cattle water tank and a heated base for the chickens. Outdoor cord protectors on the plugs for those. Surge protector has plugins for the indoor heated water base and a heat lamp, when they're needed. Power load sufficient, weather protected, safety outlets. Should be good as a temporary winter setup.

Where the cord has to run over the ground between coop and shed, I found a 12' length of very sturdy steel pipe that was just big enough to pass the cord through. This placed on a section of ground (dirt, grass) where we occasionally drive farm equipment, and marked at each end with a concrete block.

Likewise, extension cords and cord protectors to a de-icer in the goats' water tank, and another for the calves in the corral. Fortunately, these run from protected outdoor outlets at the barn and in the goats' shed from a breaker box of their own.

Yes, we go a little overboard. But I hate hate hate breaking ice, hauling water, and worrying about our critters in the bitter cold.

Got down to 22-degrees this morning. All is working as they're supposed to.
So far.

 

[TinyRaptorDodos]

Hmm I’ve had goats and still have chickens, no matter what heated bowl we use we still get at least a thin layer of ice on top, this is in Alaska too, not nome weather though, still pretty cold. So this year I’m going to try a heated bowl to keep the bottom and sides from freezing AND a bucket heater. We’re already getting frozen water in the mornings with our frost.

Oh and one thing I learned warm/hot water freezes faster then cold so warm water does not help

 

[saysfaa]

If the water is too warm it steams into the air of the coop too much. Just barely luke warm makes a nice compromise that gives them a break from colder water.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Other than “curbstomping” frozen ice , what do others do when there’s no power to the coop and no extension cord option? I thought maybe there would be a solar aquarium heater but it seems that is not available/feasible. Thinking I either will carry warm water over every day or use an aquarium heater plugged into a battery generator. Suggestions?

It doesn't get *that* cold here. Single digits overnight. I've not had waterers freeze solid. I usually just break the ice or pry it up. I bring warm water down on cold mornings. I do the same for my goats, who love drinking warm water on cold days. I just stop off at the coop first and drop some in the birds' waterers.

My ducks will stand by the pond and wait for me to break up the ice. They LOVE cold, snowy weather - haha!

 

[StinkyAcres]

If the water is too warm it steams into the air of the coop too much. Just barely luke warm makes a nice compromise that gives them a break from colder water.

Yep, I've been afraid of using heated waterers ever since one of my sheep died of pneumonia. I really believe the moisture caused by the heated bucket killed her.

 

[chickenmomma41]

I am in SW Michigan and use a base heater under my galvanized waterer. Works like a charm!

Side note: I leave the base in year round to elevate the waterer, and just turn the power on when it gets cold enough to freeze the water.