I got the "Water For My Chickens" blues

[Cryss]

I've had my 4 gals 2 1/2 weeks so I'm really a newbie. I do not have electricity in my coop. I can't run a huge extension cord across the lawn all winter. I understood a black rubber container would be slower to freeze so that's what I got. It holds a bit less than a full gallon.
My water is hard. I have a water softener. I have high blood pressure so I purchase water to consume. My outside tap bypasses the softener so in warmer weather I get my dogs water from that. I've been using that for chickens also. Now that it is cold and freezing I really don't want to be spraying water all around my patio and back door which is where the outside spigot is located. I've read both sides of the "Is soft water safe for chickens" discussion and chose to err on the side of caution.
I believe I will be purchasing spring water for the gals during winter. I do that for the dogs too.
And here's the big BUT. The dogs drink the entire bowl of water in a day. The chickens barely make a dent in a gallon of water in a day, but I have to throw out that gallon of water at least once, sometimes twice a day. They can be some dirty birds!
I've thought of horizontal nipples but wonder about water freezing especially in the little nipple mechanism since there are no warming devices used.
I've thought of using the simple "upside down bucket on a tray" style waterer, perhaps buying 2 to rotate allowing one to thaw indoors.
Either way I think if I hung the waterer they wouldn't be so inclined to soil the water.
Any thoughts, suggestions, tips, are all welcome. I need to get this right quickly. We're expecting snow this weekend.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

Horizontal nipples in a hanging waterer is definitely the way to go. Especially if you can put a lid on the bucket. Horizontal nipples have less chance of freezing as well. We have vertical ones, which we tap 2x a day to make sure they're not frozen, but we're already finding our water freezing over, overnight. Depending on how many chickens you have, a single watering station really isn't enough. You should have at least 2. Get 1-2 gallon buckets, place at least 4 nipples into each one.

To start a chicken drinking from the waterer, you can simply tap a nipple while a chicken is watching, or wait patiently, until they figure it out. NO worries, sooner or later, they WILL peck at it and figure out it's water.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

Adding in, if you feed the chickens every day, consider giving them wet mash. It's simply taking their daily rations and adding in enough water to make it into oatmeal like consistency. Let it sit about 10 minutes and then feed it to them.

Or, if you are up to it, look in to fermenting feed. With these 2, I find my chickens require less water from their waterers.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

I am so hearing that same tune.. Only it's water for the ducks.

 

[CorvusFarm]

I am so hearing that same tune.. Only it's water for the ducks.

Oh, man. Ducks and the special way they foul their water...

Or fowl it, as the case may be.

 

[jreardon1918]

I second using horizontal nipples. We have 7 pullets, about 7 months old. We have our water only outside the coop. Live in southeast Mass. It was 28 F inside the coop this morning. The 5 gallon water bucket this morning had a thin layer of ice and the nipples were still functioning. There was only about two gallons in the bucket at the time. I added about a gallon of warm water at 5am. We currently do not have electricity. We will hook that up this weekend. Then we will add a stock tank heater. Here is a picture of the set up.

 

[IndianaGreg]

I second using horizontal nipples. We have 7 pullets, about 7 months old. We have our water only outside the coop. Live in southeast Mass. It was 28 F inside the coop this morning. The 5 gallon water bucket this morning had a thin layer of ice and the nipples were still functioning. There was only about two gallons in the bucket at the time. I added about a gallon of warm water at 5am. We currently do not have electricity. We will hook that up this weekend. Then we will add a stock tank heater. Here is a picture of the set up.
View attachment 1204499

With the nipples on the side of the bucket you don't get a mess? My water is inside the coop and always a mess with the bedding and such around the water bucket, but I also had the nipples on the bottom.

 

[hillbillyreefer]

Those horizontal nipples are a godsend, all the birds use them from a few days old.

For the main flock I use an uninsulated 45 gal drum with a heater in it all winter. If there is a bit of ice formed on the nipple in extreme cold -30 to -40C the birds peck it out then proceed to drink normally.

 

[lazy gardener]

Your winters are quite a bit warmer than mine.

FWIW, I run a construction quality extension cord to my coop. It's attached to a weather proof GFCI outlet at the house, and has a surge protector in the coop. I couldn't do chickens without it.

Raise your water up to chest height, no matter what style you use! That will help with the soiling. You might consider setting a gallon jug of water in the center of your rubber container so it creates a moat for the birds to drink out of. The jug accomplishes several things: It keeps the birds from walking in the water or trying to perch on the lip of the bowl. It holds extra water so you can easily top the bowl off.

I am a fan of fermented feed. My flock get a lot of their daily water from the FF. You might consider using FF for that purpose alone, not to mention the added nutritional benefit: Increased Lysine, Methionine, and B vitamins.

 

[Cryss]

Your winters are quite a bit warmer than mine.

FWIW, I run a construction quality extension cord to my coop. It's attached to a weather proof GFCI outlet at the house, and has a surge protector in the coop. I couldn't do chickens without it.

Raise your water up to chest height, no matter what style you use! That will help with the soiling. You might consider setting a gallon jug of water in the center of your rubber container so it creates a moat for the birds to drink out of. The jug accomplishes several things: It keeps the birds from walking in the water or trying to perch on the lip of the bowl. It holds extra water so you can easily top the bowl off.

I am a fan of fermented feed. My flock get a lot of their daily water from the FF. You might consider using FF for that purpose alone, not to mention the added nutritional benefit: Increased Lysine, Methionine, and B vitamins.

Winters here can occasionally go below zero. Suffice it to say cold is cold LOL. I have family in Maine so I know your winters. Too much snow!
I couldn't use your idea for the gallon jug of water (brilliant by the way!) because my rubber bowl isnt wide enough. I've worked out something similar temporarily till I can hook up with the horizontal nipple type system.
I am unsure of the fermented feed for now. I've seen good and bad reports. I'll be doing more research on it.
Thanks for the advice.