Water Clean, Thaw, and Outside..?

[Manhen]

I am having very good luck with my 3 gallon metal water fount and metal base heater. I have my water in my coop. The coop has about 6 inches of wood chips deep litter. At first, the chickens were scratching stuff into the water. But I bought a patio paver block, put the metal base heater on the paver, and then put the water fount on the heater. The additional height was all I needed to stop the chickens from scratching litter into the water.

Did you actually take a measurement of the humidity in your coop before and after using the water fount in the coop and compare it to the outside humidity? This is my first winter with laying hens in a coop, and humidity is a concern for me. At present, I'm looking at an outside temp of -11F and a relative humidity of 64%. I have not noticed any significant difference between my coop and outside humidity. But if I did, I guess my best option would be to add more ventilation.

I don't have a covered run, and currently we have about one foot of snow on the ground. My girls won't even go outside on the snow. So putting the water outside is a non starter for me.

I think if it's that cold they will be fine at 64%. Brrrrbb.b. Dang!

 

[aart]

Hmmm. How about this. I'll start my next batch of chicks off from the get-go, and hope they train the older girls. Even if the old girls don't catch on, I'll train each new generation the same. Eventually the old drinkers will die off ad only nipple drinkers will remain. Does this sound viable?

That could work....or you could just train them all next spring.

 

[blackdog043]

I'll start my next batch of chicks off from the get-go, and hope they train the older girls.

I made a HN waterer for my brooder with a pitcher, so it doesn't take up a lot of room. I wait until they are 2 weeks old to start using it and have the chick waterer still available for at least a week. Keep raising it as they grow also.

 

[gtaus]

I made a HN waterer for my brooder with a pitcher, so it doesn't take up a lot of room. I wait until they are 2 weeks old to start using it and have the chick waterer still available for at least a week. Keep raising it as they grow also.

View attachment 1980053

Nice idea with picture. Thanks for sharing.

 

[CindyinSD]

Dig a hole. Line the hole with fresh manure. Put a bucket of water in and pack the manure around it. Great idea courtesy of @R2elk who will tell you if I’ve missed something. I actually use bucket deicers because I’m out of holes at the moment...

 

[aart]

I made a HN waterer for my brooder with a pitcher, so it doesn't take up a lot of room. I wait until they are 2 weeks old to start using it and have the chick waterer still available for at least a week.

Mines even smaller
I also provide a regular chick waterer and start taking it away for most the day at about 2 weeks, I put it out for an hour in the morning and again late afternoon.
In house brooder:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...nipple-waterer-for-wire-crates-by-aart.72704/

In coop brooder:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/2-nipple-quart-water-bottle-holder.67773/

 

[gtaus]

Dig a hole. Line the hole with fresh manure. Put a bucket of water in and pack the manure around it.

Sounds like the start of a bad joke! Really?

How in the world would that even work? The last 2 nights our temps got down to -17F. Anything with water in it is frozen solid. That fresh manure would freeze solid in no time and now I have a bucket stuck in manure!? What am I missing here?

 

[aart]

Sounds like the start of a bad joke! Really?

How in the world would that even work? The last 2 nights our temps got down to -17F. Anything with water in it is frozen solid. That fresh manure would freeze solid in no time and now I have a bucket stuck in manure!? What am I missing here?

Someone here did it successfully...it was in a brutally cold environment too.
Member name is not coming up in my mind tho.

 

[NatJ]

Dig a hole. Line the hole with fresh manure. Put a bucket of water in and pack the manure around it. Great idea courtesy of @R2elk who will tell you if I’ve missed something. I actually use bucket deicers because I’m out of holes at the moment...

Sounds like the start of a bad joke! Really?

How in the world would that even work? The last 2 nights our temps got down to -17F. Anything with water in it is frozen solid. That fresh manure would freeze solid in no time and now I have a bucket stuck in manure!? What am I missing here?

I've never done it, but I'm guessing the manure rots and gives off heat, like a compost pile. I don't know how thick the manure would have to be, though--probably at least several inches thick, maybe several feet thick? The reason for a hole in the ground would be to keep it neatly together (not spreading out), and because the ground stays warmer than the air, and also to make it a height the chickens can reach.

 

[Manhen]

Manure rotting makes heat. A lot. Can go boom given enough manure and time

Heats yourcoop using deep litter method