Stock Tank for Water Storage

[MattMo]

Hi all. New here. We live in Western New York. We currently are raising 6 leghorns. 6 orpingtons. 6 ameraucanas. 6 khaki Campbell’s. As we start getting things together for the coop I am wondering about storing water for the birds in the winter. Is it ok to store water in multiple stock tanks for winter use? How do you keep the water fresh?

Thanks Again!

 

[perchie.girl]

Depends on what kind of tanks.... Open stock tanks for livestock I just keep a couple of gold fish in there to eat mosquito larva.... Yes the water gets green but that means its healthy.... Its the blue green algae that grows in strings that is not good. (not algae by the way but a form of bacteria....)

If you are worried about it tasting fresh you could put a bubbler in there to stir the water gently... Good for the fish too.

And Yes Gold fish can handle the tank freezing over.. They go into torpor... and settle into the muck on the bottom... Leaf litter and sand.... Not quite hibernation but enough to handle the cold.

All you need to worry about is water line from the tanks to the chicken coop.

And yep I do live in the desert... But it gets very cold here in the winter... Cold enough to freeze water lines. and put an inch of ice on the stock tanks.

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

By the way WELCOME TO BYC from San Diego.

deb

 

[MattMo]

The stock tanks are just open galvanized 100 gallon stock tanks. I just figured keeping the water out by the coop from November 1 to March 1 would be easier than lugging it out there during the brute of our winters

 

[perchie.girl]

its going to freeze over.... depending on your temperatures.... keep something by the tank to break up the ice.

deb

 

[blackdog043]

I just figured keeping the water out by the coop from November 1 to March 1 would be easier than lugging it out there during the brute of our winters

Putting your general location in your profile, will help us help you with questions. Are you going to use a stock tank deicer to keep it from freezing?

 

[Folly's place]

I have horses and cattle, and 150 gal. and 100 gal. water tanks. Without heaters, they will freeze solid, and break. Heating that water in winter is expensive too. You aren't likely to be happy with this option, either heated or unheated.
Your best choice is to trench and install an all-weather hydrant, right near the coop. It's wonderful! Otherwise, carrying water (how far?) does work. It's especially fun when there's two feet of snow, or ice everywhere.
Mary

 

[Percheron chick]

You are talking about 2 gal a day. One in the morning and one in the evening. It is nice to have some emergency water if your water lines freeze or power is out but you're over thinking it.

 

[Folly's place]

If the power is out, the stock tank heater won't work, and that tank will freeze.
Mary

 

[tigger19687]

Since you say you have a Brute Winter I am going to say that it is going to freeze.
You would need to put a heater in it, Cover it, NO FISH...
I thought about this too but it just is not realistic in the long run

How far is the coop to the water source ?