Water Heater and Plastic Founts

[Cindy in PA]

Is your heat source under the ring of ice?

The ice forms at the top where the water level is at the time. The bottom where they drink stays thawed, but up higher at the water level top, sometimes I get a thin ring of ice. I guess the heat doesn't travel as well up the sides of the plastic. I did have frozen areas on a metal one back in 1994, but that was with -22 temps at night. What a wonderful first chicken year that was! I sometimes get some ice in the drinking part below 10 degrees. The heater I bought 2-3 years ago doesn't seem to get as warm as the one I purchased in 1993!

 

[RonP]

The ice forms at the top where the water level is at the time. The bottom where they drink stays thawed, but up higher at the water level top, sometimes I get a thin ring of ice. I guess the heat doesn't travel as well up the sides of the plastic. I did have frozen areas on a metal one back in 1994, but that was with -22 temps at night. What a wonderful first chicken year that was! I sometimes get some ice in the drinking part below 10 degrees. The heater I bought 2-3 years ago doesn't seem to get as warm as the one I purchased in 1993!

Now I understand.

I can increase my heat source, halogen bulb in a modified popcorn tin, if necessary.

38 watts was good for -9f, the coldest ever recorded in my coop.