Thank you, yes I chose based on a mix of being able to withstand winters and being friendly. Leaning toward friendly as most important while avoiding more delicate birds! However, we have chicken friends up here who do well with silkies so I guess we needn’t have worried!
I found it is a lot easier not to keep water out at night since the birds are asleep and not drinking and water will freeze solid over night. Years ago, our days were a lot colder and at first I was hauling up warm water every few hours to replace what had frozen. This got tiresome, so I purchased heated dog water dishes. However over the past 2 or 3 years, I have only turned them on once or twice during the winter season, our days just aren't staying as cold. You can also purchase heated chicken waterers, either on line, or possibly TSC has them.
Yeah, I was thinking of making an insulated cozy for their waterer, may be I can fill it with hot water in the morning. I know we definitely need to come up with something at least for dec-feb.I found it is a lot easier not to keep water out at night since the birds are asleep and not drinking and water will freeze solid over night. Years ago, our days were a lot colder and at first I was hauling up warm water every few hours to replace what had frozen. This got tiresome, so I purchased heated dog water dishes. However over the past 2 or 3 years, I have only turned them on once or twice during the winter season, our days just aren't staying as cold. You can also purchase heated chicken waterers, either on line, or possibly TSC has them.
All this said, my coop is directly on the ground in contact with the earth and the floor tends to hold in heat. So when I fill waterers first thing in the morning with warm water, rarely do they freeze during the day anymore. Hope this helps and good luck!
We got 1 of each, welsummer, BO, australorp, dark brahma, and cuckoo maran. All pullets between 5-6 weeks at the time we got them.
A cozy would work! What ever it takes to keep water liquid.
