Ugghhh- frozen waterers....

[allpeepedout]

There is a nonelectric product called Snugglesafe for dogs you might use. This is a small plastic disc, about the size of a salad plate, that you heat in your microwave for a few minutes. It stays at 55 degrees for many hours, like 8. I have one for my dog and it really does stay warm a long time.

You could put a heated Snugglesafe under an insulated watered first thing in morning and in eve. Start with warm water, too. Insulate under and around, even with just shavings, hay, old jacket, anything.

I have used super-thick rubber buckets, filled with warm or hot water, and set inside a bigger bucket packet with insulation. It takes many hours for these to freeze. Chickens can drink fine out of regular buckets, but these are also available in pans. You can also get the ice out of this thick rubber without destroying the bucket.

You can float a disc of styrofoam (maybe tape off around edge), cut out of an old cooler lid, to cover some of the top of the bucket or pan, to further reduce heat loss.

Farmers kept livestock of all sorts successfully in freezing areas long before electricity. Chopping out ice used to be a normal chore.

 

[dragonlair]

I buy the packages of vitamins and electrolytes and add it to the water. It helps keep it water longer, but it does still freeze.

I get those rubber livestock bowls and use those for winter water. When they freeze you just turn them up side down and stomp on them. The ice block pops out and you can add the fresh water.

I water mine in the morning. I set the bowls in the sun. The water stays fluid for a while so they are all set until the next day.

I live in Maine where it gets very cold, my bowls are already freezing solid.

 

[whiteshepherdlady]

I'm not too sure where YOU live but I live in Eastern Canada and it gets VERY cold here too !!! We get -35 or lower at our coldest time of winter !! My sister who also has chickens does the snow in the bucket thing for water for them at LEAST when you are working- BUT I am thinking to do that and when I am home I will lug the hot water morning & night for them to at least get a nice warm drink. I was told the metal bowls will freeze faster then the regular plastic bowls (of course when you think of it they would) I've got the dog water heater bowl but I am scared the chickens fall into it and get pneumonia !! ANOTHER idea a friend gave me was to make a wooden box and insulate it with either insulation or even use hay. Place a small bucket about 2 gal and then surround it with the hay. That will work for a lil bit before the big freeze but I'm looking at the electric water feeders for chickens here & they're $50.00 + Canadian. !! I'll need 2 so not sure when I'll be doing this !!

 

[opalwednesday]

okay, I guess the californian desert IS cold enough to freeze water inside a barn, even a 135 gallon goose pond. I'm totally trying the wood burning stove hot rock trick, it's free! These animal are amazing to survive being so exposed, my geese even go swimming when it's 18 degrees out!

 

[Chickenaddict]

It gets pretty cold here too. I run extension cords to the coop from the house to run 1 heat lamp. SO far we dipped to the single digits at night and the coop stayed a toasty 38 degrees

I also have straw bales set up and the coop is insulated. I haven't had a frozen waterer yet but when that time comes I will be putting in the heated dog bowl.

 

[Linn Bee]

Quote:
I was considering heating a rock or brick. I think it would work quite well where e- is not an option. Rather than wasting power heating the rock, I was thinking of setting one on the furnace each day. Gets plenty hot whether I use the space or not. Then putting another on the furnace while the hot one went into the coop.

Linn B in Wisconsin

 

[DMRippy]

Hens & Hounds :

I found this site/blog called Tilly's Nest & she has a great idea to keep water from freezing w/o use of electric. I have not yet tried personally...it involves heating a rock LOL

Here is the site w/ her directions: http://www.tillysnest.com/2011/01/water-water-everywhere.html

Hope it is of use to you or anyone else who may be concerned w/ water freezing.

Good luck & let us know if you do try it how it works out.

Jackie

That is what I needed that is awesome!!!! and easy... everyone can boil water!​

 

[Rosaleen]

Water first thing in the morning in a rubber bowl, then another bowl of water around 3:30 in the afternoon. Here in Vermont we get a lot of snow...so I put a shovel load on a tray and place in the run. Our chickies always peck at the snow throughout the day...mind you, this is not their main source of water....as I mentioned, they get water in the am and afternoon.

 

[Buff Oreo]

what to do is to put an electric water heater outside under your waterer [assuming you have galvanized steel gravity flow style waterers] these work great, especially if your outside temp. never goes below zero. also a heat lamp helps stop freezing, increases egg production, and keeps your chickles warm.

 

[gmachicken]

I have seen a wild bird waterer that keeps the water from freezing.
It is at our Grange here in Oregon. I use a heated birdbath and put my regular waterer in it. Does fine.
But back to no electricity. You might try a bird supply place for what I was mentioning at first.