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Agreed! I have been using them with aquarium heaters in the buckets and having no freezing problem even with temperatures reaching -10 F. There are ice patches that have formed underneath, though, where the water dribbles out as they are drinking. It is minor, though.It's the horizontal nipples that work better.
Thanks for the link. I ordered some and am excited to get and try them. Does anyone know of a way to provide heat for water that is battery operated? I have a friend whose coop is quite a ways from her house and does not have electricity in in.
It's the horizontal nipples that work better. They're about equal in the summer, but the horiz leak less & (if you use a submergible heater) the horiz ones don't freeze. At least they didn't freeze in last night's drop below zero. They had a touch of ice, but the chickens simply pecked & got it working. I like not having to refill & clean the water daily. Here's where I got mine: http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-Horizonta...700?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item258de826d4
You can use any food grade bucket & may even be able to find a free one.
My flock is in an insulated coop with a covered run wrapped in clear pvc vinyl / plastic (like shower curtains). The run is like a greenhouse, so it's much warmer than being directly outside. I may get a touch of snow in there if it's a very heavy storm, but it's mostly dry.
As far as the eggs, I've been collecting often. If it's noticeably cracked, don't eat it. The shell in tact protects from bacteria. if it feels cold, just give it a quick spin. Raw eggs wobble as the insides slosh around. A frozen egg will spin smoothly & easily because the insides are solid (likewise a Hard-boiled egg). Don't you just love science!![]()
Our "house chicken" is healing well. Looks like it will be a while before it's warm enough to attempt a transition back to outside. Meanwhile, the kids are enjoying having a chicken to cuddle. She makes a tiny little noise when she lays her egg & through it all has laid 4 eggs in 5 days. Poor thing is stuck in a storage tub, but I suppose most commercial hens live that way for their entire lives.
I noticed the same when introducing new pullets to last year's flock. Precious, my fav hen @ bottom of pecking order, was the worst bully to the new girls. Precious remained on the lower roost, but her daughter moved straight to the upper roost when she began laying. As the others began laying, the pecking order worked itself out & Precious stopped the bullying. Precious will never be a top roost girl, but she's happy to no longer be the lowest. When I added the last pullets of the year, Precious was not their bully. Instead I see Skittles chasing them. Of course I also noticed my roo step in between them to immediately stop the chase.I wish I did the run just for the CCLegbar sake. My sweet, gentle bottom of the pecking order buff Orp is just plain mean to them. They all huddle in the corner when she is around. They are almost as big as her. Being cooped up, is making her cranky! So that is where that saying came from, ha!