Running water to the coop

[mrmojo08]

Has anyone out there designed a good system or method for getting water to your coop during the winter?

I have an outdoor faucet on the house that is about 30' from the coop. I've looked at using heated hose, but have concern about using the faucet at all in the event the faucet freezes, or worse, the pipes in the house freeze. Right now I have the faucet insulated with a styrofoam cover.

Any suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[woody1]

I'm sure you don't want to hear this but the only way I know to solve your problem is to run an underground waterline to your coop. You'll also want to have power there too.

 

[EagleEyes]

In this case, where you are located REALLY matters.
Here in southern wisconsin and places farther north the water laterals going to our houses FROZE, and they are buried 6" deep.
Keep that in mind.

 

[JackE]

My method, two 21/2 gal water founts, and my two feet. Every morning, I'll fill and carry one out to the coop, exchange with the other, bring the other one back to the house. Rinse, repeat. And I have to go about 150', OH, the humanity.

 

[mrmojo08]

The bucket has always been the most reliable. I'm trying to simplify the water delivery to the coop for when we're out of town and have someone watching the chickens for us. Btw, I live in Spokane, WA and our winter has brought on some very cold temps already. About 15 degrees F on my way to work today.

I have my water system designed so that it won't freeze once it's filled, I'm just looking for ideas on what others have done to get the water to the coop in the most efficient manner. Digging a trench may not be in the cards this winter

 

[aart]

The bucket has always been the most reliable. I'm trying to simplify the water delivery to the coop for when we're out of town and have someone watching the chickens for us. Btw, I live in Spokane, WA and our winter has brought on some very cold temps already. About 15 degrees F on my way to work today.

I have my water system designed so that it won't freeze once it's filled, I'm just looking for ideas on what others have done to get the water to the coop in the most efficient manner. Digging a trench may not be in the cards this winter

Then you'd have to heat the faucet in the coop too wouldn't you?

How much water do your chooks go thru in a day...and how do you keep it from freezing?

My 15 only go thru about a 1/2 gal a day, I just carry it out every day and top off the heated waterer.

 

[Den in Penn]

If you put a underground water line to the coop worrying about freezing instead of a regular faucet use a hydrant. The valve is underground and the water drains out of the pipe above the frost line when it is turned off.

 

[mrmojo08]

I haven't really tracked their water consumption as we were letting them run the yard during the summer. They had access to an open water dish and shared with the dog.

My water system for winter is a 4" pvc tube (5' tall) with horizontal chicken nipples. I've run a submersible aquarium heater all the way to the bottom (below the nipples) to ensure it's always in water reducing the chance of it breaking. It seems to be working perfectly so far and we've had some 10 degree F weather this winter already. Overall I'm providing about 2.6 gallons in the 4' of pipe above the nipples.

We have 5 hens and my system provides approximately 2.6 gallons. Do you think that will last for a week or so? I find that there's a lot less waste with the horizontal nipples compared to the vertical.

 

[mrmojo08]

As a follow up to this thread I thought I'd post a picture of my water system for others interested. I ran a submersible aquarium heater to the bottom of the tube and it seems to be working just fine this winter. The horizontal nipples have been a great upgrade from the verticals.

This is the heater I purchased and it works just fine, but I'd prefer one that only went to 45-50F.
http://amzn.to/1CmEzxT

 

[ralleia]

Horizontal chicken nipples--very interesting!

I have the vertical kind on a short length of PVC off an insulated thermos. I had hoped that a water heater in the thermos would keep the nipples from freezing, but no joy.

I will have to try your design, because the heated fount we us when the nipples freeze is a pain!