We have been using the nipple waterers on pails and jars since I got the chicks.
With winter here already in Upstate, NY we devised a way to keep their water from freezing.
I am struggling with not using a heating lamp in my coop, which i origionally thought I would, thus not worry about freezing nipple waterers. I am going to try to go without a heat lamp for the winter. I am thinking it will be harder on me than it will be on them. They have an insulated coop and are hearty breeds.
oh the guilt I felt last night as it was snowing and sleeting as I was sitting toasty in front of my wood stove......anyways....
I have 7 hens. I'm using a Gallon jar with 3 push in nipples.
My dear Jim built this for them
It is a box mounted on the wall. Inside the box, a circular cutout with a 20 watt bulb:
I seat the water jar in the circular cutout so that the nipples hang down: sorry this picture isnt the greatest
And the bulb is plugged into a thermocube which is thermostatically controlled to go on at about 35 degrees and off at 45 degrees. It doesnt cost hardly anything to run:
This was simple for Jim to make with scrap wood we had hanging around.
The bottle doesnt even get hot, nowheres near enough to melt anything, just enough to keep it from freezing. Plus, they have a little bitty nightlight on the cold nights ......
Just thought I would share for anyone looking for any ideas.
Blessings,
Laura
With winter here already in Upstate, NY we devised a way to keep their water from freezing.
I am struggling with not using a heating lamp in my coop, which i origionally thought I would, thus not worry about freezing nipple waterers. I am going to try to go without a heat lamp for the winter. I am thinking it will be harder on me than it will be on them. They have an insulated coop and are hearty breeds.
oh the guilt I felt last night as it was snowing and sleeting as I was sitting toasty in front of my wood stove......anyways....
I have 7 hens. I'm using a Gallon jar with 3 push in nipples.
My dear Jim built this for them
It is a box mounted on the wall. Inside the box, a circular cutout with a 20 watt bulb:
I seat the water jar in the circular cutout so that the nipples hang down: sorry this picture isnt the greatest
And the bulb is plugged into a thermocube which is thermostatically controlled to go on at about 35 degrees and off at 45 degrees. It doesnt cost hardly anything to run:
This was simple for Jim to make with scrap wood we had hanging around.
The bottle doesnt even get hot, nowheres near enough to melt anything, just enough to keep it from freezing. Plus, they have a little bitty nightlight on the cold nights ......
Just thought I would share for anyone looking for any ideas.
Blessings,
Laura
