Watering below 0

[Ceakmama]

It's my first winter with my flock. It's been below zero farenheit for weeks, with the average being -10. We have a metal waterer with a heating element in the tank. The part the chickens drink out of freezes solid and I have to keep going out there to unfreeze it during the day. It's a pain since I also have 2 young toddlers. Anyway, what's the best setup? Should I get one of those base/underneath the water heaters? Or am I just out of luck and it's too cold?

 

[MGG]

It's my first winter with my flock. It's been below zero farenheit for weeks, with the average being -10. We have a metal waterer with a heating element in the tank. The part the chickens drink out of freezes solid and I have to keep going out there to unfreeze it during the day. It's a pain since I also have 2 young toddlers. Anyway, what's the best setup? Should I get one of those base/underneath the water heaters? Or am I just out of luck and it's too cold?

I've found a metal heated water ring in a three gallon bucket works the best. We get awfully cold in the winter as well and it keeps up wonderfully. How many birds do you have?

 

[wamtazlady]

It's my first winter with my flock. It's been below zero farenheit for weeks, with the average being -10. We have a metal waterer with a heating element in the tank. The part the chickens drink out of freezes solid and I have to keep going out there to unfreeze it during the day. It's a pain since I also have 2 young toddlers. Anyway, what's the best setup? Should I get one of those base/underneath the water heaters? Or am I just out of luck and it's too cold?

If you want to keep your waterer then using a heated base would probably be the best solution. Your issue right now is that you are heating the water inside the tank but the water outside the tank where the chickens are drinking is not heated.

I use a 14 gallon tote with lid, horizontal nipples, and a stock tank deicer that is okay to use in plastic. Chickens have had thawed water even into the -20s F. Being that you live in
Alaska you might get considerably colder than that. I don't think my waterer would work colder than -30.

 

[Rangergord]

I am using a K &H pet products 50 watt bird bath de icer in a 3 gallon pail, horizontal chicken nipples. So far no problems at -20 C. You could use a heated base for your metal waterer but chicken nipples are so much better IMO . Less water is wasted or spread on the floor, much more sanitary and fewer contaminates, and energy efficient.

 

[vantain]

what's the best setup? Should I get one of those base/underneath the water heaters?

I have the Little Giant 3 gallon fount waterer, with a heated base that is also the Little Giant brand. I'm in Minnesota, and wondered how mine would work last winter. It kept the water from freezing down to -28F easily. Previously I had used a heated horizontal nipple waterer, but I now have a blind chicken that just can't use a nipple waterer, so I switched to the fount one last year. It worked fine, so I'll see how it does for this winter in January, when we really start getting the brutal cold.

 

[conniemod]

It's my first winter with my flock. It's been below zero farenheit for weeks, with the average being -10. We have a metal waterer with a heating element in the tank. The part the chickens drink out of freezes solid and I have to keep going out there to unfreeze it during the day. It's a pain since I also have 2 young toddlers. Anyway, what's the best setup? Should I get one of those base/underneath the water heaters? Or am I just out of luck and it's too cold?

I purchased at the Co-Op in Worland, Wyoming a bird bath heater ("Bird Bath De-Icer") which I attached to an outdoor/winter extension cord. It is placed in the water bowl (deep large black rubber) that I purchased at Ace Hardware in Worland, Wyoming. Heater (200 watts, 120 volts)only turns on when outdoor temperature gets to 45 degrees F or lower. This was an ideal solution and the chickens do not disturb it.

 

[R2elk]

Alternate method to prevent water freezing.​