salt in the water

[leilani10]

Somebody told me they put salt in there chickens water to keep it from freezing in winter. Is this safe for the chickens?

 

[Fred's Hens]

The amount of salt it would require would make it wholly unsuitable for chicken's drinking water. That person was pulling your leg or horribly misinformed.

 

[leilani10]

Thank you for the info. Leilani

 

[Kevin565]

The amount of salt it would require would make it wholly unsuitable for chicken's drinking water. That person was pulling your leg or horribly misinformed.

X2.


Have you looked at poultry water heaters? They are relatively inexpensive now.

 

[Fred's Hens]

I keep it simple. I don't want to tip over any poultry fountain, pull plugs, and re-fill and all that jazz when it is Minus 20. No, no.

Come November, I'll pull the summer waterers and replace them with heated dog dishes. The really large size. They only pull electricity as needed and aren't too bad in running up your electric bill. But again, I don't want to be cleaning a dog dish outside either, in the winter. So, I just set a plastic, one gallon, re-purposed ice cream pail of water in the dog dish. To clean, with gloves on, I pick up the old pail and replace it with a clean one. I'll clean the little pails inside, where it is warm.

Each morning, I carry a couple of one gallon milk jugs of water and pour into the pails. Repeat in the afternoon, as needed. Done.

No strain, no pain, no frozen fingers, no muss, no fuss.

 

[aoxa]

I keep it simple.  I don't want to tip over any poultry fountain, pull plugs, and re-fill and all that jazz when it is Minus 20.  No, no.

Come November, I'll pull the summer waterers and replace them with heated dog dishes.  The really large size.  They only pull electricity as needed and aren't too bad in running up your electric bill.  But again, I don't want to be cleaning a dog dish outside either, in the winter. So, I just set a plastic, one gallon, re-purposed ice cream pail of water in the dog dish.  To clean, with gloves on, I pick up the old pail and replace it with a clean one.  I'll clean the little pails inside, where it is warm.

Each morning, I carry a couple of one gallon milk jugs of water and pour into the pails.  Repeat in the afternoon, as needed.  Done. 

No strain, no pain, no frozen fingers, no muss, no fuss.

Good ideas

On top of this I don't leave any water out overnight. In the morning I put fresh water out (water hook-up in barn that is heated so not to freeze) and fill waters in the AM. We put them in the sun - usually don't freeze during the day as they are frequented quite often. I do have only one heated waterer. I doubt I will use it this year. I don't like water in the coop because of the ducks and geese making a mess of things. I would have to run extension cords and fuss with all that. I may change my mind, but I'm not doing it until at least January.

I'm not looking forward to my first winter with a barn so far from my house. That's a lot of snow ploughing ahead of me!

 

[leilani10]

New coop being built closer to the house. Will be checking out the dog dish idea. Thanks for all the tips. leilani