Sdwd

[Serrin]

I can hardly wait until our new washer and dryer arrive [it's scheduled to anyhow] on December 21. Because right after those arrive and are installed, up and running, DH has promised to pull the old W&D out of the pump house and replace them with a nice long counter top with a deep sink. Hot and cold running water!

Then we'll see just how easy watering can be around here in the winter!

Right now I keep two sets of buckets. One for Chief and the girls and the other for the boys. I keep one pair in the trailer over night and take out nice lukewarm water to all of them every morning. Come evening, after the boys go to bed, I take their bucket and set it in the big coop. The boys bucket of water is almost always twice as clean as the girls, and usually has most of its water still in it. It's just three boys after all.

Chief and the girls on the other hand are another matter! The flock can go through nearly an entire 2+ gallon bucket in one day. Come nightfall, there's only about a quarter of the bucket left. So, I put the boys water in there. Waste not, want not!

Besides, throwing the water out on the ground makes for some rather treacherous walking!

Since I started putting their water bucket more towards the center of the coop and away from the door, we haven't had any problems with freezing over night. In fact, often when I bring the boys bucket in, it's just starting to get a thin scrim of ice on the top. By the time I leave the coop, it's melted. Between R-19 insulation in both walls and ceiling, 21 active chicken bodies, and the heat lamp, it stays pretty warm in there. Despite sub zero temperatures down as far as -14 so far this winter.

I just wish I could find a safe way to put just a little bit of heat into the boys coop. Just to keep the dampness down in there. Simply by the three of them breathing in there all night long, there is a layer of frost on the inside of their back window in the morning. I worry about what might happen to their combs if we should get down as far as minus 20-25.

And just as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow, we will, at some point, get that cold and possibly even colder! If I could just find a way to mount a low wattage bulb in there that they couldn't break, nor could it be so close to the walls as to cause a fire, I'd do it in a heart beat for my boys!

There was another thread about just how much cold weather a healthy chicken can handle. I know it's usually quite a bit, but that's not the point for me. For me, the entire endeavor has been about giving my chickens the very best home I possibly can, to spoil them just as rotten as I can, to give them a life that all other chickens would envy right down to their toes!

I know....I'm a nutter!

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Ok....I see all y'all bringing the waterers indoors. I never have but perhaps I should re-think it. Even though I'm south of Cyn in Ga, we've already had ice in the water.

I was concerned bringing them in would add moisture and the possibility of frostbite....No?? Do your birds make a mess with the waterers inside?

I do not have power in my coops although I could pull a LLLOOONNNGGG extension cord up there.

So share....move 'em in? Leave 'em out??!!

Inquiring minds want to know

Have a great evening....off to a fire and a glass of wine

 

[speckledhen]

Scott, use one of the under-water-heater rubber pans under whatever your waterer sits on- mine are on my bucket defrosters on top of those pans. Shavings that get into the pans may get damp on occasion, but they never make a mess at all.

 

[kathyinmo]

I do put my waterers inside for the winter, just haven't done it yet. I set them up on big blocks. I do have electricity in the coops, though. I need to get the move done, just waiting for consistently freezing weather, I guess.

I wait, because I am like you, Scott .... don't want the added moisture and MESS. It is okay when they are up on blocks though. I really like the big heated dog dish for convenience, but I worry the roosters will dunk their waddles in it and freeze them.

 

[joletabey]

Thats the whole thing- the moisture and the mess- but I think I need to try something!

 

[Cetawin]

I have done it both ways...with the ducks and chickens and I noticed no difference with the moisture having them inside or not. My girls do not make a mess of them, I put them up on cinder blocks and my heat lamps hang about 4 - 5' above them so no freezing.

 

[NellaBean]

Okay is it just colder here than everwhere else (other than Serrin's)?? Because everything is frozen SOLID. I will have to break down and bring buckets of water out in the morning. BRRRRRRRR.......The only waterers that aren't frozen are the ones in the garage in the brooders..but of course they have heat lamps in the brooders (75 or 100 watt bulbs). Last year they froze anyways, too......

My shoulder is killing me....not sure what I did. I am running low on feed, so swung by TSC and bought a single bag of layer pellets. Came home and split it with scratch LOL. Then carried about 20lbs down the hill as that is all my shoulder wants to deal with. I will throw out a huge bowl of scrambled eggs in the morning, so no worries on the protein level

I don't think it got anywhere above 25 today, however I still got a dozen eggs. Or rather 11. Getting some big ones too. Everyone in the coop looked okay....little concerned about the frizzles but they have friends to huddle with. They weren't shivering but looked a bit cold. All the babies were doing just fine......even the 4weekers that no longer have their mom with them. They are in the best brooder for no momma. Solid front, hanging lamp right in the middle. Excellente....

Supposed to be even colder tomorrow. Yay me. Sigh. I do have a no freeze faucet at the top of the hill, so may just move a waterer up there so it is easy to refill everyday. Still will have to carry water to the rooster pen, cochin pen and breeder tractor, plus the bottom portion of the yard where the dumb chickens hang out. I don't think they realize the top of the yard is where the treats live. Not geniuses.

 

[kathyinmo]

So far I have been lucky enough to keep the water liquid during the day. I know it is coming though ...... I was just talkin' to Brock, and he insists that the best water heaters are these 3 gallon fountains (about $35. each) :

I like the 1.5 gallon heated dog dish better myself (cheaper, too $16. - $18 locally) .... but, oh well....

The 250 watt red heat lights worry me. I like that they help warm the coop as well as thaw the water. I DO like them, but I worry .....

 

[NellaBean]

Last time I used one of the big "brooder bulbs" my garage smelled like burning the next morning. Took that sucker out and tossed the heat lamp too, just in case. Now I won't use higher than a 150 and only with the super heavy duty lamps. All of mine have ceramic sockets, but some are lighter duty.

Unless I have day olds mid winter, a 75 or 100 is plenty......

 

[joletabey]

Kathy, do the birds muck up the dog bowl? I have a feeling mine would stand in it or something else equally idiotic.