Preparing for Winter - Keeping Water Thawed

[lahaskell]

We are in a climate area that is very cold most of the year. I'm trying to get prepared for winter (even though it's 90 degrees today) & am wondering what others do/use to keep their water unthawed when it's 20 below. If you make a recommendation of a product could you tell me where you bought it from? I am concerned about anything that would be a fire hazard because I plan to use the deep litter method during the winter & to me wood chips look like really good kindling. Others thoughts?

 

[JackE]

Check out the link below. That's what I have used for the last couple of winters. Works great, didn't cost $5 to build. I use a 40W bulb in mine. I set it up on a concrete block, and set the waterer on top.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/107951/cookie-tin-water-heater

 

[Hokum Coco]

I had a heated water bucket with nipples and heater tape wrapped on the outside. It worked fine.

However me being how I am I only had the one bucket and I found myself becoming lazy and not cleaning the container and changing the water as often as required.

I switched to rubber buckets (thanks to this site). Froze solid in the morning (subject to -40º last winter). Ice pops out easy peasy. and replenish the water in the morning and check on it again after dinner.

Works the best for my hens and me. Hens do not need water once the sun goes down and they hit their roost in my set up (no extra lighting in winter in my coop).

Yes egg production does slow down a bit in my set up. However it spikes again as the days get longer.

I figure a hen is only good for a finite number of eggs if I keep them maybe a year or so longer it will all average out. Their manure is the gold I really cherish. Here is a look at my bean garden in June.

 

[chfite]

I use a bird bath heater. It is bullet-proof. It activates at a certain temperature, so it doesn't run all the time. Of course, your temperatures might make it run a lot to keep the water unfrozen.

I use one like this: http://www.duncraft.com/10-Inch-Heated-Bird-Bath

It is available many places. I plug it in and toss it into the bucket that has the nipples mounted underneath. Metal construction, cord shrouded with metal. Hard to beat.

Chris

 

[brains]

Is it safe with a plastic bucket?

 

[Kaitie09]

I used a plug in dog bowl. It works well and I fill it up each morning. It is heavy enough that they can't tip it over until it is empty, and short enough that they can easily reach in.