Topic of the Week - Keeping Water from Freezing

[saysfaa]

...too bad they don’t google things to fact check themselves.

Maybe. If you aren't careful or lucky with the search terms, you get more results listing it as a working option than helpful results.

 

[KKdaChickenTender]

In the coop, we have a 5-gallon DIY nipple bucket. That'll last 20 silkies for nearly a month, so we put 1/2 teaspoon of RV Water Freshener in it to keep it from getting slimy.

It won't freeze as we keep the coop heated to 40F.

The grow-out pens each have an electric 2-gallon bucket nipple waterer. Other than during a polar vortex, they stayed thawed all winter.

Where did you get the electric buckets?

 

[Love Donkeys]

Where did you get the electric buckets?

I'm pretty sure TSC has them.

 

[Debbie292d]

Where did you get the electric buckets?

TSC was out, so I ordered them from Fleet Farm online. They were having a sale when I ordered them a year or two ago but I see no sale now.

 

[KKdaChickenTender]

TSC was out, so I ordered them from Fleet Farm online. They were having a sale when I ordered them a year or two ago but I see no sale now.

Idk what you paid for them, but someone suggested State Line Tack. They have them for $57?!!

 

[DLA]

I use below and usually bring the waterer inside at night. If it's hovering right around freezing or just below during the day - since use deep litter and have a covered run that I partially enclose in plastic sheeting - I will just float a 16 oz pop bottle filled with salt water inside. Seems to keep it from freezing up and saves electricity. I keep the waterer filled up, use warm but not hot water and never let it get below 1/2 full so it's more work but this all seems to work for me.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BB9VYPF4?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

with a 3 gal plastic waterer

 

[Finnie]

I use heated rubber buckets that I get from Statelinetack. I had issues with plastic heated buckets freezing and cracking. The rubber buckets have been great!

Do you have a link or photo of the actual one you use? I did a search, and it came up with the flat back kind? But in several sizes.

For those who use deep buckets and stock tanks, is there not a concern about drowning? (I assume not, or you wouldn’t use them. But in my mind, deep seems unsafe.)

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Do you have a link or photo of the actual one you use? I did a search, and it came up with the flat back kind? But in several sizes.

For those who use deep buckets and stock tanks, is there not a concern about drowning? (I assume not, or you wouldn’t use them. But in my mind, deep seems unsafe.)

I use this one in the 12 qt. Size for my chickens and ducks. No, I have been using 2 gallon buckets as waterers for years and not once had a chicken end up in one.

https://www.statelinetack.com/item/heated-rubber-flat-back-bucket/E002891/

 

[Finnie]

I use this one in the 12 qt. Size for my chickens and ducks. No, I have been using 2 gallon buckets as waterers for years and not once had a chicken end up in one.

https://www.statelinetack.com/item/heated-rubber-flat-back-bucket/E002891/View attachment 3996184

Thank you. That’s reassuring. I will look into these buckets.

 

[Love Donkeys]

Do you have a link or photo of the actual one you use? I did a search, and it came up with the flat back kind? But in several sizes.

For those who use deep buckets and stock tanks, is there not a concern about drowning? (I assume not, or you wouldn’t use them. But in my mind, deep seems unsafe.)

We been using stock-tanks with concrete block steps for the smaller animals for almost 54 years. I'm happy to say the only thing that ended up in the water was Tadpoles, Frogs and our 4 kids. lol. ☺