Water inside for winter?

[3BirdGirlz]

It's super cold here in winter. My chickens get watered twice a day. I use rubber pans. Therefore they don't get water after it freezes at night until 7:30 in the morning. Mine have never died and this is how it's been done my whole life of 30+ years

 

[MEMama3]

That is quite reassuring. I think I'll pull the water

 

[MyPetNugget]

Do rubber dishes prevent freezing? If so were can I get them?

 

[3BirdGirlz]

No, just makes getting ice out of them easy.

 

[MEMama3]

Do rubber dishes prevent freezing? If so were can I get them?

As 3Bird said, it's just easier (though being black may help conduct a bit of heat). Mostly they allow you to flip and stomp then refill.

 

[MyPetNugget]

As 3Bird said, it's just easier (though being black may help conduct a bit of heat). Mostly they allow you to flip and stomp then refill.

Ok thanks. That would be helpful

 

[jaj121159]

An easy way to heat water in a waterer is to use bird bath heaters or aquarium heaters inside a bucket or a Rubbermaid type tote with nipple drinkers installed. If you use a thermocube plug, (on at 35 off at 45 degrees) they will shut off when it warms up. I like to use a clear tote so I can see the water level.

 

[3BirdGirlz]

I think that's what I'm going to try and build this next week! No more ice I hope. I love YouTube for instructions

 

[Hokum Coco]

Watering
For along time I used heater tape around a bucket with chicken watering nipples. It worked excellent. However me being me I neglected to change the water as often as I should. This is what it looks like and it thermostatically controlled to come on at just above the freezing temperature. You would have to wrap it to suit your particular application if it is viable for your set up. It is available at Home Depot in Canada.




Last year I switched to white rubber contains the wife found somewhere. The freeze solid every night but the ice just pops out of them in the morning and I replenish them with fresh warm water. They have black ones at the feed store that are similar but large than mine.

The chickens congregate around them like people having their morning coffee. The only draw back is my yard is pepper with small ice bergs the size of the buckets.

April looks after that however..

 

[MEMama3]

The chickens congregate around them like people having their morning coffee. The only draw back is my yard is pepper with small ice bergs the size of the buckets.

April looks after that however..

Ditto! And once buried in snow they are like mines. Heaven forbid you kick one or stumble over one.