winter is coming and how do i keep water from freezing for 30 birds

[wildorchid053]

it was easy last year i only had 4 birds so we bought a heated waterer..this year we have alot more birds.. 30 to water and we have been using 5 gallon plastic tanks for them.. i have heard of the light bulb in a cookie tin,, livestock deicers in the water, bird bath deicers.. i am afraid if i put a deicer inside the water the water on the outside ring where they drink will freeze... any suggestions. we have 6-7 mos of frozen weather coming soon. husband was even thinking heat tape.. but i don't think it can keep 5 gallons of water thawed. suggestion and ideas are appreciated.. ty linda in upstate ny

 

[featherz]

I am researching the same thing. I currently use 5 gallon nipple waterer buckets, but trying to decide if I should buy birdbath heaters for those, use my heated dog bowls (that's a last resort, as I'll be at work all day and can't refill them when they spill them everywhere!) or invest in three galvanized waterers with those pieplate looking heaters that fit under. I have three coops to get water to!

 

[sonew123]

HI guys,

I did not have one problem keeping our large waterers unthawed. I used a 250 watt heating light bulb over the waterer. Even in minus 20 it was liquified-it was teh caged birds that had frozen water in am!!! I have 45 birds last year-this year Im looking at the same amount. but they will go into pens with their individual heats bulbs hanging down for warmth and for thawed waterers

 

[Cluckn Crazy]

I am concerned about the same thing. I use a nipples/bucket but I don't want to heat it for the winter. I only have 6 birds, but want to be efficient and am worried about a long winter of water slugging. I was thinking about these for the coop (it's like a heated dog bowl with fountain inside?). For thirty birds, I'm sure I'd use the metal heater base and fountain.

 

[swimmer]

I'm curious about that picture cluckn. Are those just the waterers with the screw in bottoms just sitting in a heated dog bowl? I have a heated dog bowl I will use for last resort too.

 

[featherz]

I don't think the lightbulb will work for my bucket waterers since they have (and need) lids but I am thinking of putting a regular plastic waterer inside the heated dog bowls I already have. Just using the dog bowls alone will be a huge mess I think. Hmm.

Buying galvanized waterers and heaters will be just much $$

..

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
look on craigslist--I always see some on there???

 

[FlashPointFarm]

I took a plastic barrel and cut down to about 14 inches or so. Then I just put in a Livestock water heater. Works for the ducks and chickens. Easy to dump and refill, I just keep it right under the spicket.

 

[Southernbelle]

Quote:
I've heard immersible fishtank water heaters work well. I'd also consider those drop-in bucket heaters from the feed store - not sure if you need a special bucket to handle those.

 

[featherz]

All the livestock water heaters I see are 1000W or more.. I'd need three of em as two of my coops are not free ranging so that's megabux on the electric bill, but keep the ideas coming! I'm keeping my eye on craigslist too. My backup plan are the dog bowls I bought last spring when they went on clearance.