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

[joebryant]

I'd use a couple of Home Depot's electric dog water bowls and a thermocube.
See: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=393539

 

[trilyn]

Quote:
I use the nipple waters in the 5 gallon bucket also and I use a bucket deicer good for up to 25 gallons of water, along with a thermo cube. I bought them at TSC and it costs around 30.00, worth every penny! We get freezing weather here and it worked like a charm! The nipples never froze up and it was a breeze!

 

[swimmer]

Think I'm going to try the heated dog bowl. Wal Mart.com has them for $18.00. Free shipping site to store. But if putting your plastic waterer right inside the bowl does work, I'll be a happy camper.I'll let you all know how it works in a few months.

 

[Dray67]

http://www.thefind.com/garden/info-ground-birdbath

here is a good one

I might try this
http://www.farm-home.com/mn/v11_catalog.mvc?v11_itmdisp+dispCat+LGS+000104+JDISTRIB2261-5413~~~~~~~

 

[saltbox]

I use a heated dog bowl (it's thermostatically controlled and 50 or 60 watts) and stand a gavanized waterer inside it. The dog bowl sits on bricks (more to keep it elevated to avoid flicked litter and scratchings contaminating the water as the coop litter builds up over winter) The steel waterer will conduct heat better than a plastic waterer. I live in Guelph SW, Ontario, Canada and I didn't get a freeze up even once. Only on the coldest nights did a thin layer of ice form at the water line inside the waterer but the trough was always ice free.
The waterer just sits inside (ontop) of the heated dog bowl and is not attached in any way so clean up if necessary is v. easy.

 

[True Grit]

Good idea and