What kind of de-icing or water heating devices do you guys use?

[tykris99]

I don't have electricity in my coop so I just have 2 waterers and switch them every morning when I let the girls out and every night when I put them in.

 

[ams3651]

I decided to just use a heat lamp after the waterer was frozen solid this morning and I could see chicken breath (that is funny!) I will find out how it works tomorrow. I set a timer to come on at 7-9pm and 11p-3a just to see how it works. And yes I did put it up safely so it cant fall down. My mom has a heated bowl she used to use for the rabbits and she will bring it when she comes up in a few weeks. I also stapled up plastic sheeting over the garage door in the end of the coop, never noticed till this morning how drafty it is.

 

[crooked stripe]

I use a 2 gallon plastic waterer and set it on a 4" concrete block that sits on bricks with a 15 watt light bulb under the waterer. Water never freezes even when it gets bellow zero.

 

[chandasue]

Quote:
I have the same waterer, and have encountered some rather chilly spillage. My thinking is to carry a bucket of water to the coop, invert the waterer, remove the base (not going to use the little hole again!), fill, replace the base, revert, and go.

We'll see how it goes!

-Christian

We have it too, but I ordered two so I take a full one out to the coop and bring the empty one back to save myself a trip when it gets bitterly cold.

 

[shelleyb1969]

I'm using bowls for water this winter, instead of the fountain waterers. I take the bowls out and empty them at night so they don't freeze. Besides, the chickens don't need water at night...they're sleeping!

First thing in the morning, I take 2 gallon jugs of fresh water out to the coop with me and fill all the bowls up.

 

[Alleychick]

Quote:
I have the same waterer, and have encountered some rather chilly spillage. My thinking is to carry a bucket of water to the coop, invert the waterer, remove the base (not going to use the little hole again!), fill, replace the base, revert, and go.

We'll see how it goes!

-Christian

Another gentleman had a good sugestion.... buy a new gas can with spout, and use that to fill the bottom of waterer. I have one and tried it...im pretty excited, not mention dry!!!

 

[Laskaland]

This is what I use:
http://www.eggcartons.com/product-exec/product_id/256/nm/Electric_Water_Heater_Base_HB125
I have a 5 gallon waterer that I fill every morning. I have about 55 chickens at the moment, and this works great. It only kicks on if the temp falls below 33... I have been very pleased.
Christina

 

[BJ]

Just a caution about the dog bowls...I thought about getting one too until I read on this forum somewhere that the chickens will get their waddles wet and then frostbit. The chicken waterers prevent them from getting down into the water, thus keeping waddles dry.

 

[Mrs MIA]

We just have a heat lamp focused on the 3gal galvanized waterer in the layer coop. In the breeder coop, there are 8 pens, so Hubby designed a copper pipe watering system with the watering cups that has heat tape run along it's length to keep it thawed. It's gravity fed with a 5 gallon bucket, so all I have to do is haul a couple of gallons in each day to fill it.

 

[chickaboom]

I just had a bit of a brain poof.
I have no idea if these things even work but remember those things that were on TV that claimed they could defrost frozen meat in minutes? It required no electricity or batteries?
Well here... one of these
http://www.asontv.com/kitchen/super-d-frost-wonder.html
Would that keep the water from freezing if you sat the waterer on it?