Simple thing to help horizontal nipples not freeze.

[Newchickey]

Okay I posted that I had put the heat base from a heated waterer. Under my bucket with horizontal nipples. It has done great to about 15 degrees or so. But after that the water that is left in the little cup freezes and locks up the nipple, even though the water in the bucket is not frozen at all.

Every night lately I am out there with vasoline, or now at someones suggestion, bag balm. Do have some frostbite on comb tips, but with it going to -22 I am not really sure there is anything I could have done.

Along with my container of salve for their comb, I take an old raggedy towel, (mess job to say the least). Last night I was leaving and looked down at the bucket of water, yup a touch of water in each cup. Started to leave, gathered my things, picked up my towel. Duh! I touched the towel edge gently at each nipples cup with out bumping the the silver tip to release more water, it soaked up everything in the cup. Well I thought we will see....this morning, no frozen nipples! And cold enough last night to have done it. Will keep trying and see but it makes total sense. Took me what 10 seconds? and that meant I didnt have to drag out another 5 gallon bucket of water in the morning and bring that one in the thaw! woo hoo.

Oh and hubbies gift to me at Christmas, a LED head lamp! I was propping my phone with the flashlight on it turned on to do my evening check and comb care. Perfect gift!

 

[pdirt]

Were your HN's freezing up at +15F or -15F?

I haven't heard of them freezing up (with some sort of heat device to keep the water thawed) at +15F, but below -15F, I have heard of it. If they were freezing up at +15F, I wonder why?

Mine have been good down to -9F, which is coldest I've had the chance to use them in yet.

In any case, sound like you found a great, simple solution!

 

[Newchickey]

I guess I dont understand what you are ask. Water freezes at 32 degrees. I am using just a heat base from a heated waterer, nothing in the bucket. The water in the bucket doesnt begin freezing until it is in the minus degrees. But the temp in the coop was 15 and the water in the little cups is completely exposed to that temp. It froze and there for the nipple couldnt move even though the water behind it was not frozen. Maybe I am missing something, it made sense to me, and the fact that once that exposed water to the low temp was not there, they worked in the morning.

 

[Newchickey]

Were your HN's freezing up at +15F or -15F?

I haven't heard of them freezing up (with some sort of heat device to keep the water thawed) at +15F, but below -15F, I have heard of it. If they were freezing up at +15F, I wonder why?

Mine have been good down to -9F, which is coldest I've had the chance to use them in yet.

In any case, sound like you found a great, simple solution!

It made sense to me, water freezes at 32 degrees, the water left behind in the little cups is completely exposed to that 15 degrees in the coop. It froze solid even though the water in the bucket behind the nipples wasnt. The frozen little puddle simply locked the nipple in place. The night I removed that excess water the nipples didnt freeze. I dont have a heater in the bucket, I wasnt shooting for warm water, just enough to keep it from freezing.

 

[pdirt]

Quote:
Ah, okay, makes sense then...you're not using any sort of heater. With the heater I use (water stays around 45-50F), the water in the little cups stays liquid down to +5F. Probably colder than that too, but it hasn't gotten colder than 5F here this winter. But I can certainly appreciate not using one if it doesn't get all that cold.

 

[aart]

Okay I posted that I had put the heat base from a heated waterer. Under my bucket with horizontal nipples. It has done great to about 15 degrees or so. But after that the water that is left in the little cup freezes and locks up the nipple, even though the water in the bucket is not frozen at all.

Every night lately I am out there with vasoline, or now at someones suggestion, bag balm. Do have some frostbite on comb tips, but with it going to -22 I am not really sure there is anything I could have done.

Along with my container of salve for their comb, I take an old raggedy towel, (mess job to say the least). Last night I was leaving and looked down at the bucket of water, yup a touch of water in each cup. Started to leave, gathered my things, picked up my towel. Duh! I touched the towel edge gently at each nipples cup with out bumping the the silver tip to release more water, it soaked up everything in the cup. Well I thought we will see....this morning, no frozen nipples! And cold enough last night to have done it. Will keep trying and see but it makes total sense. Took me what 10 seconds? and that meant I didnt have to drag out another 5 gallon bucket of water in the morning and bring that one in the thaw! woo hoo.

Oh and hubbies gift to me at Christmas, a LED head lamp! I was propping my phone with the flashlight on it turned on to do my evening check and comb care. Perfect gift!

It does indeed!!
Keep us posted. Post a here of your heater base?

I couldn't live (well, I probably could) without my headlight.

 

[RonP]

I installed an LED motion sensing security light over my coop door.

1 beam lights my way.

The second beam is directed at the coop door.

Once the door is opened, it lights the coop also.

 

[Newchickey]

Ah, okay, makes sense then...you're not using any sort of heater. With the heater I use (water stays around 45-50F), the water in the little cups stays liquid down to +5F. Probably colder than that too, but it hasn't gotten colder than 5F here this winter. But I can certainly appreciate not using one if it doesn't get all that cold.

I am using the base from a heated waterer, my bucket sits on it. It was -19 here last night, Its 11:18 am and -3 now

 

[Newchickey]

It does indeed!!
Keep us posted. Post a here of your heater base?

I couldn't live (well, I probably could) without my headlight.

This is what I bought


Just the base plugged in

Bucket waterer sitting on it

 

[trout5437]

just wondering...is there a reason your nipples are so high up on your bucket??? I installed mine almost at the bottom of bucket..seems like you losing a lot of water space,especially if you having to tote water very far!!! not criticizing just wondering if I missing something being how I just switched to horizontal nipples!!!! hope I didn't do it wrong!!!!