How to keep waterer unfrozen without power

[GracePoultry]

Hi all. I live in Indiana and my waterer froze for the first time the other day. In the past I had access to electricity in my coop in the past but I no longer have that available. I went out a few times during the day with warm water to unfreeze it but I don't know if I'll be able to keep that up every day.

It generally get no lower than 10°f in winter normally around 20°f. last year it got down to -15° for several days though.

Is there any way I can keep it unfrozen without power. Parent's don't let me have a job outside of summer as they fear it interferes with school but if I need to purchase a solar panel with an adapter I will try and find a way to do so.

 

[Debbie292d]

Check out the Topic of the Week! We have power but I saw a couple of ideas there for those without.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I have power now too but for many many years didn't.

I hauled warm water out in the morning and hot in the afternoon. At coop closing I dumped the dishes so they were empty for morning. I never had a bird acting super thirsty so it seemed to work at just twice a day. Morning was filling empty dishes and afternoon was thawing what froze during the day.

We get overnight lows of -15 or even colder. The usual lows here are -10.

 

[Yardmom]

The black rubber dishes like tractor supply sells work well for the dump and refill method.
Another method is to have two waterers. One thaws in a warm place and one is in the coop. Then switch.

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

Check out this article on an alternative method to keep water from freezing by @R2elk!

 

[Krugerrand]

You have pretty much all your options spelled out above. Geothermal, solar, and swapping out water. If your water is in sunshine, having the bowls/buckets painted black can go a long way in helping to capture the sun's heat. If you can move things to sunshine, that can help too ... but probably not at the expense if it's in line of cold wind.

 

[saysfaa]

And insulation.

 

[StinkyAcres]

In the winter I switch out the poultry waterer for 2-gallon buckets and refill a couple times a day. The water doesn't freeze as quickly in a full bucket as it does in a normal poultry waterer. You can also place a bottle or something else that floats in the water to keep the water from completely icing over for a little while longer. Get two buckets so you can have one in the coop while the other is inside the house thawing out.

 

[paintedChix]

Here is a noe power idea for the run.

 

[Al Gerhart]

If you have more time than money think about a Russian fireplace kind of set up. The water bucket would have to be nestled in heat retaining mass, rock,gravel, and sand. Water, brick, concrete, then find a way to heat it for a few hours. Insulate all around leaving just the water surface or part of the water surface open for drinking.

Can you not just run an extension cord to the coop? Some voltage drop of course but not enough to harm a resistance load like a cheap water heater/aquarium heater, or just a fifty watt incandescent light bulb running in a cookie tin to serve as a base for the water dish. Insulate where possible of course.