Winter in Ontario - keeping water ice-free?

[supchicks]

While I'm enjoying this burst of warm August weather (well, actually today was a bit soggy), I'm starting to put my mind to winter in our coop. My question mostly goes out to my fellow Ontarians who know just how cold our winters get - but I'm interested in any other opinions!

Our coop is insulated, but I haven't run any electricity to it. What's my best option for making sure my girls have ice-free water this winter? I leave for work at 8 a.m. every day and I'm not home until 5 p.m. Do I need to get some power out to the coop to make some kind of water heater or are there other options I'm not aware of?

Thanks!

 

[nchls school]

While I'm enjoying this burst of warm August weather (well, actually today was a bit soggy), I'm starting to put my mind to winter in our coop. My question mostly goes out to my fellow Ontarians who know just how cold our winters get - but I'm interested in any other opinions! 

Our coop is insulated, but I haven't run any electricity to it. What's my best option for making sure my girls have ice-free water this winter? I leave for work at 8 a.m. every day and I'm not home until 5 p.m. Do I need to get some power out to the coop to make some kind of water heater or are there other options I'm not aware of? 

Thanks!

Northern Wisconsin here-The most sure thing is to run electricity to your coop. In the past I have used stock tank heaters and heated pet bowls. I think there are poultry waterers along the same lines.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Not very cold Oregon here...but we do get an annual cold snap...I can highly recommend the heated dog bowls...they are inexpensive ($20) and you can run an good outdoor extension cord to them without the fear of burning stuff down like a heat lamp over water.

Much cheaper than poultry heaters unless you want a good solution for a long term duration.

I've used my dog bowls each season with wonderful results, and they last well...several are a number of years old.

For baby chicks, you can invert the bowl, pour sand to stabalize, and put chick water on top to keep it dethawed...learned that trick from a gal in Pennsylvania who does get cold winters.

LofMc

 

[45ishChickenMom]

@Lady of McCamley , do you get poop and other crud in the heated dog water bowls? I ask because I have a summer waterer on a cylinder block and yet, poop still finds its way into the regular chicken waterer. I change it twice a day. Wondering how to keep a dog bowl clean, even on a block (I too am already thinking winter and icy water). Thanks!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

@Lady of McCamley , do you get poop and other crud in the heated dog water bowls? I ask because I have a summer waterer on a cylinder block and yet, poop still finds its way into the regular chicken waterer. I change it twice a day. Wondering how to keep a dog bowl clean, even on a block (I too am already thinking winter and icy water). Thanks!

I too place the dog bowls on cinder block so that are above the ground, and yes, crud does get in, but not horridly so until the end of the day, sometimes day two...so I dump and re-add water frequently...but I always figure fresh water daily is best any way.

Another option (which I haven't personally tried) is to use the nipple water bucket and add a fish tank heater...but I've heard mixed reviews on that.

I just personally find it easy to use the dog bowls and kick over and refill daily, or at least every other day. They do a great job of keeping the water unfrozen and are easy to fill from the top making change a breeze on a cold morning day.

LofMc

 

[45ishChickenMom]

Quote: This is great information, Lady. I think fresh water is best (and throw in a little apple cider vinegar each time too). I will seriously consider a dog bowl for their winter water. I plan to sheet the run with plastic to block out the snow, so to keep everything dry too. This will be my first winter too. Thanks again!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I've used the plastic heater water fountains. They work well, can be a pain to assemble after filling with water and if kept in full sun only last a few years. Plastic gets brittle. I'm a metal water fountain person anymore. This will be my first winter heating one of those. Last year I used black rubber livestock/dog bowls that will keep water thawed longer due to black and when frozen just turn over and stomp to leave Ice bowls all over the run and yard. They are indestructible but a person has to be home mid day to empty and refill them.

For metal fountains they sell a metal heating stand. Here on BYC there are many easy do it yourself plans to make one out of a cookie tin to save a few dollars and make it more energy efficient (type cookie tin in search). Remember to never use vinegar in metal galvanized containers, it will ruin them.

 

[msv92]

This will be my first winter with chickens, and I found everyone's post to be very helpful ideas. Thanks everyone

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I've used the plastic heater water fountains. They work well, can be a pain to assemble after filling with water and if kept in full sun only last a few years. Plastic gets brittle. I'm a metal water fountain person anymore. This will be my first winter heating one of those. Last year I used black rubber livestock/dog bowls that will keep water thawed longer due to black and when frozen just turn over and stomp to leave Ice bowls all over the run and yard. They are indestructible but a person has to be home mid day to empty and refill them.

For metal fountains they sell a metal heating stand. Here on BYC there are many easy do it yourself plans to make one out of a cookie tin to save a few dollars and make it more energy efficient (type cookie tin in search). Remember to never use vinegar in metal galvanized containers, it will ruin them.

Agreed good long term solution and worth the $$ if you want it to last and don't want to have to refill every day.

One word of addition...the ACV will do more than ruin the metal container, it will corrode the zinc coating into the water which will also provide heavy metal to your birds every time they drink...not a good thing as the toxins can build up creating sick birds.

LofMc

 

[supchicks]

Good stuff! Thanks everyone!