No more freezing waterers this year

[DawnSuiter]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

I have a couple of those bowls, too... Couple of things, though...
1) You have to keep an eye on the water level. They dry out fast with a lot of birds. I use a gallon milk jug to replenish several times a day. Love them, though.
2) Roosters can dip their wattles in the water, and when it's below freezing, that's asking for frostbite. Just keep an eye on them.

It's true those are real side effects of big open pans or bowls, but unfortunately for our Roos the hens out number them and so their needs are more important. I do remember to Vaseline the wattles when i do combs, but I don't do that frequently enough I'm sure.

We're expecting 50 degree weather on Wed/Thursday and sun so I CAN"T WAIT!!!!! I have to paint roosts so that will be WONDERFUL to do then.

My dog water bowls didn't get here yesterday so hopefully on Monday.​

 

[CoopCrazy]

I ahve two of these and LOve them .. I havent had any of them freeze even the one outside for the ducks.. I will be buying more when they go on sale again.. BTW I was able to get mine at Rural King for $9.95 each yippeeee..

 

[DawnSuiter]

The dog bowls arrived today. I've got a probe into one of them. But the weather today/tonight isn't supposed to be as severe. Highs in the 30s today and lows tonight in the teens/low 20s. Should be a good enough test I'd say though. at least to compare to my christmas light bucket.

Will report back tomorrow on the temperature differences.

 

[Julie08]

I wish Ontario was more Poultry friendly. I just bought 2 as well one for 38.99 and one for 61.99

 

[MiniBeesKnees]

I made a cookie tin water heater too...works like a charm. I got the tin at Goodwill for fifty cents, and I had the bulb on a wire with a plug from an old lamp taken apart. Put a bed of tin foil in the tin, put the bulb on that and ran the plug through a hole in the side of the tin. Taped the bulb to 'on'...a 40 watt bulb keeps my one gallon white and red plastic waterer (exactly fits the top of the tin) lukewarm. Taped the top closed with contractor's heavy duty duct tape, and put same on the plug hole. Working very well for over a month even in this zero cold spell.

Far as I know...there are no zoning laws where I live. No building codes.
Terry in Tennessee

 

[DawnSuiter]

Ok, here are my results:

This dog water bowl by Farm Innovators 60 Watt/.5 amp fluxuates constantly. The water gets down to 47*F before it kicks on and warms it up to 65*F or so. The warm up process takes about an hour and the cool down process takes a few hours. So essentially I figure it's kicking ON 4 or 5 times per day.

The bucket waterer with Christmas lights 40 Watts/3.5 amps constant flow of power, on the other hand, maintains a nice warm temperature in the 60*F Range in all but extended single digit temperatures where it is maintaining in the upper 40s.

The dog bowls require us to wire the coop, which isn't too hard but the wire can be costly.
The bucket waterers can be used with extension cords easily and 3-5 can be strung together....


I'm still not sure which to use, but we have a few days of 40-60 coming so I'll have time to setup either or both systems before the rest of winter hits.