single digit temps last night

[ams3651]

even with the 250 w heat lamp inches above the water it still froze solid, the waterer only had about an inch or 2 of water in it, I guess it wouldnt have froze if it had more in it??? I have the pop door open but I made a sort of lean to porch to block wind and rain and they all made it thru the night ok.

 

[All about the EGG]

I bought a heated dog bowl.

 

[ooptec]

Hey,

I use a heated dog bowl too and screwed a piece of 1/4 plywood on top so just enough room to get one head at a time in there so they don't poop in it.

Was looking for a couple auto egg turners for the incubator I just bought and one hatchery had a real nice 2 gal heated chicken waterer, it was the std. white and red plastic ya see everywhere and I think it was around $60.

We've been at single digits at night for awhile now, They are in a unheated and uninsulated coop w/a light on a timer so they keep laying and I made a heated nesting box also on the timer out of scraps of wood so don't have to worry about freezing eggs. Also might even feel nice for the girls having a nice warm butt for awhile every day.

Big difference from summer when wished for it to get dark before 10:00PM so could round up the flock so I could go inside. Now go out and feed the dogs at about 4:30PM and gather the last of the eggs. It's almost dark and they are pretty well all roosting by then so go in the pen as can put the next day rations in the feeder, fill the water and the light goes out at 5PM and comes on again at 5AM but don't have to check on them till after noon.

cheers

cheers

 

[bigzio]

It's a good idea to close the pop door during really frigid weather. Make sure you have some other smaller vents to provide fresh air without drafts.

If you don't provide a heated water, then it works well to have extra waterers, to save trips to the coop, providing a fresh one and bringing back the other to thaw.

In extreme weather, it's a couple trips a day.

bigzio

 

[tackyrama]

Here's what I did as a temporary solution.

Just so my expensive watering can won't freeze and get wrecked I put together this simple inexpensive waterer. If it does freeze it can be quickly and easily unthawed on the wood stove or kitchen range (If this is done on the kitchen range be sure the DW never EVER finds out!). It is a angel food cake pan with a 1 gal paint can upside down and a rock on top to keep the chickens from overturning it. I drilled three 3/16" holes in the can to end up about 1/2" down from the top of the cake pan. Fill pail with water, place pan upside down on pan and then quickly and firmly turn right side up. I plan on having a more elaborate set up but it is still on the to do list. Who knows, this may turn out to be THE one! I don't have electricity to the coop and don't plan on it so I have to be creative!

I know it's hokey but the chickens don't seem to mind.

 

[SterlingAcres]

I'm right there with ya. I took all the animals hot water out several times today. I should get a heated water dish or make one...

 

[tackyrama]

GREAT website stirling!

 

[tackyrama]

Hey OOPTEC you have a great website but did you know that once in you can't get out? You have to X out and go back to your browser to BYC. Just FYI.

 

[ams3651]

my mom is bringing me a heated bowl next weekend, she used it for rabbits when she had them. Then I will move the heat lamp closer to the roost. They do have roof line vents in the coop as well for ventilation. When it snows or rains or blows real bad I will go out and close the door but when my older son is away its hard for me to get back out in the morning to let them out, I cant leave the little one in the house alone. Their porch roof leaves them just enough room to get out so it is pretty close.

 

[Akane]

I took a small heated bucket from the feedstore, put a brick in it, set the water on it, and filled the waterer and bucket with water. Heat goes through the brick and surrounding water into the waterer. The chickens can also drink from the water in the bucket around the waterer rim if it gets low. But they can't drown or fall in the bucket and freeze with the brick and waterer in it.