New Hampshire!

[deacons]

It was very cold this morn. I woke up and went to tend to all the animals only find frost on the ground and 7 waterers partially frozen. Boy I am not looking forward to the cold weather, it makes animal chore time twice as long.

I'm totally with you! As for waterers, this year I'm going to try to keep the smaller plastic ones in circulation by bringing them in at night, filling with hot water in the morning, and refilling/thawing with hot water during the day as needed. Not sure how it will work but that's the plan for now.

Doing chores this morning was sort of amusing though as it was the first day of frozen poop picking (at least out in the run).

My horse is boarded at a barn about 20 minutes from my house, and some days I curse the fact that she's not just in my backyard, but as the winter gets closer I am reminded what a luxury it is to have someone else deal with frozen hoses and snow piles- at least for one of the animals!

 

[1Chick Magnet]

I'm totally with you! As for waterers, this year I'm going to try to keep the smaller plastic ones in circulation by bringing them in at night, filling with hot water in the morning, and refilling/thawing with hot water during the day as needed. Not sure how it will work but that's the plan for now.

Doing chores this morning was sort of amusing though as it was the first day of frozen poop picking (at least out in the run).

My horse is boarded at a barn about 20 minutes from my house, and some days I curse the fact that she's not just in my backyard, but as the winter gets closer I am reminded what a luxury it is to have someone else deal with frozen hoses and snow piles- at least for one of the animals!

last year I purchased some plastic dog dishes at the dollar store. I can pop the ice out of them like an ice cube tray. I pop out the ice then refill with water.

 

[lilyphoenix]

My chicken's water was frozen for the first time this morning...need to come up with a solution stat.

 

[chicken pickin]

last year I purchased some plastic dog dishes at the dollar store. I can pop the ice out of them like an ice cube tray. I pop out the ice then refill with water.

I do the same thing. I replace all waterers for dishes or bowls. It is much easier to dump the ice and refill then it is to lug waterers inside every night, I tried that last winter and gave up quick.

 

[deacons]

I do the same thing. I replace all waterers for dishes or bowls. It is much easier to dump the ice and refill then it is to lug waterers inside every night, I tried that last winter and gave up quick.

Don't you find that they get all sorts of debris in a bowl though? Maybe mine are just messy, but I can't keep a bowl of anything (food or water) from filling up with dirt, leaves, etc.- even if it's elevated. For the number of chickens I have, the two plastic waterers seem sufficient, so right now at least I don't mind bringing them in at night and out in the morning. We'll see as the days get colder and stay cold all day...

Last year, I had a large metal waterer with heated base. My older hens are happy to use that, but my new pullets seem to avoid it, so I worry if that's the only water source I give them, they won't drink enough.

 

[chicken pickin]

My chickens aren't too messy so I don't mind doing the water dishes. I have 4 separate chicken coops and 2 turkey areas also ducks and goats. So for me it is too much water to be bringing in everynight But it does work so with 2 waterers for you it will be pretty easy for you. I wish I had heated waterers, that would be a nice luxury. I may try to buy one here and there if I ever have extra cash maybe when next month when I sell a few of my Thanksgiving turkeys I will use that and splurge on some heated dishes.

 

[deacons]

Yep, that makes sense- you have a lot more to deal with than me. I just have 8 chickens in one large area.

I think I found the heated water for ~$60 at Agway last year. I have also heard of people doing large rubber pans/trays with a drop-in bucket warmer (like you'd use for horses or maybe goats), and I think those might be a little cheaper/

 

[chickery-do]

My girls keep their coop fairly warm cuz I don't need to take the ice out. I fill a gal outdoor waterer and I refill it w/ that. I have a heated outdoor water dish that I truly love. So it's all good for me!

 

[piglett]

Yep, that makes sense- you have a lot more to deal with than me. I just have 8 chickens in one large area.

I think I found the heated water for ~$60 at Agway last year. I have also heard of people doing large rubber pans/trays with a drop-in bucket warmer (like you'd use for horses or maybe goats), and I think those might be a little cheaper/

this is what we went with last year
http://www.horse.com/item/k-and-h-ultimate-pail-heater/E000343/
it goes inside out 5 gallon waterer which has nipples on the bottom
it worked so well that we are going to get a second one for our other coop this year


good luck
piglett

 

[drakeschicks]

One of the girls was being nosey while I was painting today!