OHio ~ Come on Buckeyes, let me know your out there!

[FlyingNunFarm]

Have another more detailed winterizing coop concern...
How do you keep water from freezing without burning down chicken coop? Leaving water and feed outside is not an option as our run is open. I wanted to get the waterer heater (that is under the metal waterer) to use but it will catch bedding on fire.

Also what bedding to use for winter?? We have one side with straw (the nesting box/ water and feeder) and the other side with pine shavings (perches).

We have to insulate different than most others as we have to insulate from outside (cause rafters & how roof is designed).

Had to put tar paper covering vents and spaces in the roof to coop. I hated covering vents but at least windows can be opened. It was way to Cold still with vents open.

I have a plastic waterer with built in heater. It has a thermometer built in as well so it only turns on when it gets to a certain temp in the coop. I got it at Tractor Supply. I liked that I wasn't heating the water and using electricity when I didn't need to.

I use 6-8 inches of pine shaving on the floor. I picked what poop I could and would add more shavings as needed. All food and water is off the floor on cinder blocks. I only have SF so that's not too tall for them. If you have smaller birds use bricks or a 4x4 piece of wood. In spring I clean the whole thing out and switch to sand.

I don't have insulation in or on my coop. It's all wooden with vents on either end in the peaks. One vent is welded wire with old window screen over it to keep the snow out. The other has wooden louvers.

I don't use a heat lamp or supplemental light. I have a light out there that I could put a heat bulb in if needed. If it got to single digits I'd use a heat bulb but not for long. I do have bag balm on hand for my girls with larger combs and waddles. They can get frostbite.

 

[mamatink7]

I have a plastic waterer with built in heater. It has a thermometer built in as well so it only turns on when it gets to a certain temp in the coop. I got it at Tractor Supply. I liked that I wasn't heating the water and using electricity when I didn't need to.

I use 6-8 inches of pine shaving on the floor. I picked what poop I could and would add more shavings as needed. All food and water is off the floor on cinder blocks. I only have SF so that's not too tall for them. If you have smaller birds use bricks or a 4x4 piece of wood. In spring I clean the whole thing out and switch to sand.

I don't have insulation in or on my coop. It's all wooden with vents on either end in the peaks. One vent is welded wire with old window screen over it to keep the snow out. The other has wooden louvers.

I don't use a heat lamp or supplemental light. I have a light out there that I could put a heat bulb in if needed. If it got to single digits I'd use a heat bulb but not for long. I do have bag balm on hand for my girls with larger combs and waddles. They can get frostbite.

thank you so much. I will check into that waterer tomorrow. We are hoping to do solar lights system in the coop for timer lights and when the water needs warmed up. Do you leave windows opened in winter or plastic outside? Like I said, really hated blocking the vents.
Our girls are buff orpingtons, black australorps, golden comets, wyandotte and Easter Eggers. Big girls are 26wks old now.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

thank you so much. I will check into that waterer tomorrow. We are hoping to do solar lights system in the coop for timer lights and when the water needs warmed up. Do you leave windows opened in winter or plastic outside? Like I said, really hated blocking the vents.
Our girls are buff orpingtons, black australorps, golden comets, wyandotte and Easter Eggers. Big girls are 26wks old now.

I tried to upload a link to the waterer from tractor supply but their website was not cooperating. It's about $45. Well worth it if you ask me. I use it year round. Only plug it in once it snows. I don't have any windows on my coop. I'm not sure the building originally was a coop, it was converted at some point. I don't cover the vents. You don't want moisture in the coop. Cold they can handle. Wet and cold is a problem. I know my coop has other little cracks and drafts. It's 80+ years old. I can't make it air tight. My coop is off the ground as well. I plan on stuffing some straw bales under the edges this year. Keep the wind from blowing under. The wind blows in from the south so I put roosts and nest boxes on the north side. Six girls did just fine last winter. I'll have 13 in there this year. They warm it up quite a bit just being in there.

 

[big medicine]

I have had good luck with home made cookie tin water heaters till it gets crazy cold.

 

[mamatink7]

I tried to upload a link to the waterer from tractor supply but their website was not cooperating. It's about $45. Well worth it if you ask me. I use it year round. Only plug it in once it snows. I don't have any windows on my coop. I'm not sure the building originally was a coop, it was converted at some point. I don't cover the vents. You don't want moisture in the coop. Cold they can handle. Wet and cold is a problem. I know my coop has other little cracks and drafts. It's 80+ years old. I can't make it air tight. My coop is off the ground as well. I plan on stuffing some straw bales under the edges this year. Keep the wind from blowing under. The wind blows in from the south so I put roosts and nest boxes on the north side. Six girls did just fine last winter. I'll have 13 in there this year. They warm it up quite a bit just being in there.

is it of use if not plugged in? We don't have power to the coop yet.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

is it of use if not plugged in? We don't have power to the coop yet.

It won't stop the water from freezing not plugged in but it works as a regular waterer. Some people don't use a heated waterer at all. They change out multiple waterers throughout the day. I personally don't have time for that. Electric to my coop is a heavy duty extension cord. LOL It's close enough to a power source and I check the cord frequently for any wear.

You could look into a solar battery. I've heard of people using them for small electric fences. Could work for running a heated waterer.

 

[mamatink7]

It won't stop the water from freezing not plugged in but it works as a regular waterer. Some people don't use a heated waterer at all. They change out multiple waterers throughout the day. I personally don't have time for that. Electric to my coop is a heavy duty extension cord. LOL It's close enough to a power source and I check the cord frequently for any wear.

You could look into a solar battery. I've heard of people using them for small electric fences. Could work for running a heated waterer.

same here, we check them for eggs several times a day but filling waterer is a different story. alright. We may start with extension cord depending on funds which route we go. I will check into solar, it seems best route to go for timed lights and heating water. Thank you again.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

same here, we check them for eggs several times a day but filling waterer is a different story. alright. We may start with extension cord depending on funds which route we go. I will check into solar, it seems best route to go for timed lights and heating water. Thank you again.

Extension cord worked and wasn't super expensive. It's strung in a tree to keep it from being run over by the lawn mower. Lol I go for easy and inexpensive. As long as it's safe for the chickens.

 

[ToniTalley]

I use the metal waterer with the 'pan' heater under it. There is no problem about bedding catching fire...the heating element is only in the very center of the heater, and doesn't run all the time, I think it has a thermostat so it is only on when it's below freezing. The water is never warm, but never frozen. We do have electricity run to a coop in a plastic conduit to keep the birds from messing with the cord. I don't use a heat lamp or light, but last winter I put up plastic over most of the run to keep the wind and snow out. We also drilled a few vent holes near the roof line right over where the water sits to help keep down any moisture.

 

[WVduckchick]

Last winter I used the plastic waterers from TSC with the built in heaters and they worked great. Continued using them without being plugged in all year, so I hope they still work this winter. Used the plate under a galvanized waterer for the ducks last year. It worked well too.

This year I have more pens, so we ran some pvc pipe with vertical nipples, with a run of heat tape on the outside. Don't know if it's going to work or not, but I hope so. It's supposed to be low wattage and only kick on when below freezing.