watering in the winter

[The Adams Family Farm]

as this is my first winter with my flock (5 hens & 2 ducks) i am looking to figure out how to store a large amount water in their run, without it freezing. i have purchased a 3 gallon heated watering can (plastic) but they are going through almost 2 refills a day. any tips??

 

[nuthatched]

They shouldn't be going through that much water, are the ducks wasting it? Is it spilling?

 

[The Adams Family Farm]

They shouldn't be going through that much water, are the ducks wasting it? Is it spilling?

i’m thinking it’s mostly the ducks. in the spring and fall, they always drank the most. i have it on a level ground so it doesn’t spill.

 

[nuthatched]

i’m thinking it’s mostly the ducks. in the spring and fall, they always drank the most. i have it on a level ground so it doesn’t spill.

Do they have a little pool? It would help them not swill the water and help them stay clean.

 

[Momma-Hen-Misti]

I have a 5 gallon waterer on a heated base I purchased from K & H. I have 13 hens. You could potentially get a larger waterer to use on the heated base. It keeps the water in the tray thawed plus some. I've never had a problem with it freezing. I'm in SW Missouri.

 

[PatriciafromCO]

fowl lol.. what water wasters right lol lol ..... I put out in their tubs just enough to drink 3 times a day and stand over the geese and ducks to not bathe in it until everyone has gotten their full share. I had a huge rubber tank with a horse tank heater (the cylinder wand looking one it takes a while to heat up but it will boil even a large a tank of water and is safe for rubber.) Did see a video of someone putting a open weave basket over the water tubs to allow drinking but not getting into the water.