Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[1muttsfan]

I am trying a different water heater in my small coop this year. Took a heated dog water bowl and filled it with fine gravel, then put a plastic waterer on top of the gravel. I am not sure how well it will work when the weather gets truly cold, but so far so good.

 

[gladahmae]

no, i was talking about the things that you drop into the stock tanks to de ice for the cows, some float and some sink.

I would be interested in the bird bath heater perhaps though, i haven't settled on a "method" yet this year!
So far i am using the rubber dishes, the other year i used a heated dog bowl but now i have more birds.

I don't like the standard water dishes at all, i don't like having to tip them over to be able to re-fill, and the short lip makes it too easy for dirt and crud to get kicked in. Someone on here had a rooster get frostbit from his comb making contact with the metal dish, too.

Fuzzy, I ended up buying 2 of the smaller stock tank de-icers from Mills Fleet Farm during their Cyber Monday sale, but it looks like they're still the same price.

I got the 250watt version, and it's rated for a 5gal bucket AND can be used safely in plastic. They also make a 150watt version, but the cord on that one is significantly shorter. DH attached the power cord to the rope we hang our buckets on, and cut a hole in the lid for the cord to run through. Now all I have to do is make sure the water level doesn't get below the heater.

 

[kimmie6067]

My hubby made me the cookie tin warmer they work great. I have to make one for my 5 gal waterer though not sure what to do with that.

Kimmie

 

[ladyrsanti]

Right now I've got a 50W aquarium heater in my 5gal nipple waterer (from my son's last fish tank), on a timer set to run on and off every half hour which I will adjust as necessary. I just make sure the heater is fully submerged at all times. The bucket lid has a pour spout/hole on it so it's easy to adjust the depth of the heater while keeping the lid intact and crud out. The cap is just situated so that it isn't screwed on all the way, wedging the wire in place. The whole outlet is on a switch that I control from outside the coop, making it easy to turn off during warmer weather (like today, yay!), though I've thought about a thermo cube.

So far so good.

I like the design of the nipple waterers with the pipes but I can't see how those wouldn't freeze, even with a de-icer in place. By the time the water flows that far away from the heat source, you'd think it would freeze, especially on those metal tips... unless you actually heated the water above to a warmer temp. But don't most de-icers just heat enough to keep the water just above freezing?

There's always a rubber bucket.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

ladyrsanti

Did you use that system last year? I had been wondering about the bucket nipple system, if that would indeed be easier to keep the tips from freezing?

I even eyed the heated rubber bucket, (with the nipple system in mind) but my luck there'd be electric running through the bottom and of course with my luck i'd have to hit it! lol. ......If i remember correctly the side was flat, too, so it seemed like it would be easier to hang on the wall.

For now i have the shallow but wide rubber dish from TSC with the handles, i like it but i will warn that with the shallowness and the amount of water it is REALLY easy to slosh!

 

[ladyrsanti]

No, this is my first year so it's all trial and error with help from BYC'ers. I'm trying to keep waddles and beards out of buckets and bowls though so I'm hoping it works out. The last time I had a bowl of water in their coop, they did nothing but spill it or fill it with litter. It was too much work for my tastes. With the nipple system, I just check it once a week, add some if it needs it, clean it once and a while if it gets slimy or cloudy. So little maintenance. But the winter will be the real test.

 

[NovaAman]

ladyrsanti

Did you use that system last year? I had been wondering about the bucket nipple system, if that would indeed be easier to keep the tips from freezing?

I even eyed the heated rubber bucket, (with the nipple system in mind) but my luck there'd be electric running through the bottom and of course with my luck i'd have to hit it! lol. ......If i remember correctly the side was flat, too, so it seemed like it would be easier to hang on the wall.

For now i have the shallow but wide rubber dish from TSC with the handles, i like it but i will warn that with the shallowness and the amount of water it is REALLY easy to slosh!

you crack those rubber/plastic buckets with the heater in them, they quit working immediately.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

bummer, so you tried already. didn't work. Well, at least i know. I'll take your word!

 

[RaZ]

I was out in the back yard lifting my shed up by myself with a 3 1/2 ton car jack and cinder blocks raising my coop up 18" off the ground (my neighbors must have been laughing).

I have a whole house fan sitting in the garage...do you think that would be overkill in a coop? I plan on allot of ventilation.

You might want to reconsider the 18 inch elevation. Your chickens can get under that quite well but you can't. Think if a hen decides to nest under there, you can't get to the eggs.
If a bird is injured and needs immediate treatment, you won't be able to reach it. You get the idea...

Passive ventilation is better than a forced air system, IMO. (I have a mental image of chickens living in a wind tunnel.

) On the other hand, I have a couple of box fans that move a lot of dusty air when I clean the coop so the bigger fan you have might be nice if you can install it so as to move the dusty air out.

HTH

 

[RaZ]

To those who have PMed me, I have not been ignoring you. Something came that needed immediate attention and I will get back to you later today.
RaZ