What to use to keep water from freezing

[BruceAZ]

i think a used toothbrush will do the trick for far to reach places

 

[Folly's place]

Bruce, I have one of those plastic heated waterers, and HATE it! I keep it on the shelf as emergency backup, but it's miserable to fill and handle. Mary

 

[BruceAZ]

for cleaning.. do you use 1 gallon of water with 1/2 oz of bleach ?

the same way i use to clean our 3-5 gallon drinking water containers

 

[GC-Raptor]

I read my Clorox label and it says to disinfect non porous surfaces, mix a half cup bleach to 1 gallon of water. There's no instructions for plastic. GC

 

[GC-Raptor]

I have a 2 gallon double wall fountain. I will buy or make a heated base, to keep from freezing. GC

 

[chicken87]

put a heat lamp on it it would keep warm

 

[MeepBeep]

I read my Clorox label and it says to disinfect non porous surfaces, mix a half cup bleach to 1 gallon of water. There's no instructions for plastic. GC

Plastic is considered a non-porous surface... But, you probably don't need that high of bleach concentration to clean a plastic water bowl... 1/4 cup (regular strength) to 1 gallon should suffice and is actually the recommend concentration by OSHA and many health departments for common disinfection...

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/general_decontamination.html

 

[MuffMom]

I have tried several methods, with no clear winner. Initially, I used a bucket with poultry cups and a bucket heater, but the valves freeze when it gets to about 25 degrees. This is a simple system for me, because all I have to do is carry out a bucket of warm water to refill. I also have a plastic 3 gallon heated unit. (the plastic bottom is the heating unit). This is nice because it lasts for 2-3 days with our flock of 10. However refilling it is a major pain and have more than once flooded the coop when I turn it over and it is not correctly lined up. (Trained myself to turn it over when I'm not in the coop, but had a steep learning curve!) Also hate this because my daughter cannot manage this on her own. Technically, they are "her" chickens. Third thing I tried is a square dog bowl. Adapted it by adding a one gallon milk container with lid filled with water and a cut slit into it. This does two things: keeps birds from roosting on the edges (or falling in) and it lets water drain into bowl as the chickens drink, lasts 2 days longer, and keeps bowl cleaner.

 

[MeepBeep]

I have tried several methods, with no clear winner.

I have found a 'closed' barrel or bucket with a heater of sufficient size and horizontal nipples to be a clear cut winner for both summer and winter... Nearly maintenance free...

This is what I did my winter testing in last year, it's the same 5ish gallon container I use for my brooder pens during the warm months, with the cheap aquarium heater it didn't freeze up at all last year...

 

[kuther]

Just in case anyone would like to know. I bought this bucket deicer to use in a five gallon bucket with nipplers on the bottom. We have used it this winter and have not had any frozen water as of yet. It turns on automatically when the temps. get down low. We are in Michigan and still have temps in the 20 and 30's. Seems to be working great!!!