Winter is coming...

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Has anyone used the 8" cinder block with a light bulb inside through a very cold winter? I'm seeing the heated bases as being rated to work down to 10 degrees, and we get to -10 sometimes here. Wondering if that block with a 100 watt incandescent would really work before I buy the stuff and try it. If it will keep the base thawed, I'd be okay with hanging a heat lamp above to keep the rest of the water thawed too, I just worry. My growouts will be in the barn stall this winter so I'd still like to use my 6 gallon drinker, I do have a heated dog bowl for the outside coop and I'm fine with filling that twice a day, but potentially 30+ inside would run through a gallon before I got home from work.
 
Mosey2003 said:
Has anyone used the 8" cinder block with a light bulb inside through a very cold winter? I'm seeing the heated bases as being rated to work down to 10 degrees, and we get to -10 sometimes here. Wondering if that block with a 100 watt incandescent would really work before I buy the stuff and try it. If it will keep the base thawed, I'd be okay with hanging a heat lamp above to keep the rest of the water thawed too, I just worry. My growouts will be in the barn stall this winter so I'd still like to use my 6 gallon drinker, I do have a heated dog bowl for the outside coop and I'm fine with filling that twice a day, but potentially 30+ inside would run through a gallon before I got home from work.
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I was wondering this myself. Im against a heat lamp due to my neighbors experience. His got knocked over onto the bedding a quickly caught fire. Lost all but one cockeral in a flock of 30 :hit
 
Mosey2003 said:
Yes, I'm using chain secured to the rafters with my lamps. I'd prefer not using them at all, but honestly, it's winter and something must be done, so I'll settle for knowing I have them very securely tethered.
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Good. Fried chicken is delicious but no one likes fried chickens:gig

Edit: auto correct wrote bit instead of but
 
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Mosey2003 said:
Has anyone used the 8" cinder block with a light bulb inside through a very cold winter? I'm seeing the heated bases as being rated to work down to 10 degrees, and we get to -10 sometimes here. Wondering if that block with a 100 watt incandescent would really work before I buy the stuff and try it. If it will keep the base thawed, I'd be okay with hanging a heat lamp above to keep the rest of the water thawed too, I just worry. My growouts will be in the barn stall this winter so I'd still like to use my 6 gallon drinker, I do have a heated dog bowl for the outside coop and I'm fine with filling that twice a day, but potentially 30+ inside would run through a gallon before I got home from work.
Click to expand...
Unless you have an inside source or stockpile you actually can't buy 100 watt incandescent bulbs anymore(They've been declared illegal:rolleyes:). My father in law uses a cinderblock with 2 40 watt incandescents in the holes and it works well(But we live in TN where it only gets down to single digits a few times a yr) so I'm not sure that would work as well for folks located further North. I currently use a metal cookie tin that I installed 2 electric fixtures with 60? (I think) watt halogen bulbs in. My 1 gallon waterer sits on top of it and stayed liquid during low single digit temps this last winter. I'm considering trying to change to a 5 gallon bucket with an aquarium or similar style heater with horizontal nipples but that's only theory at this point. And I probably have at least another 2 mths before I get to try it out.....
 
Oh, incandescent only go to 60 now then? Guess the only way to find out will be to try. I could also actually use a small plastic-safe stock tank or aquarium heater in the top, that would probably come close to guaranteeing me success, come to think. I'm just afraid if I only used a top heater, that the water would freeze in the drinking part. Last year I had a heat lamp on one side and the water in the drinking part froze on the opposite side, is my reason for wondering.
 
You must have a heater for your water. We have a heated base that automatically turns on when it is 36° or below. Without it, the water would freeze and the chickens would die. Dehydration is one of the main causes of chicken deaths. Your birds should be fine in your coop/run without installation. Believe me when I day this, DO NOT PUT IN A HEATER!! If it were to shut off one day or night they would die instantly due to the fact that they aren't used to the weather. They will ease into the cold on their own and that way you won't have to risk death.

I hope this helped!!
 
Chickens4Life101 said:
You must have a heater for your water. We have a heated base that automatically turns on when it is 36° or below. Without it, the water would freeze and the chickens would die. Dehydration is one of the main causes of chicken deaths.
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Dehydration is a risk in winter as well as summer..why you'd check your waterer every day even if you have a water heater.

Oh, and, BTW, a bowl of snow is a good back up.

Chickens4Life101 said:
Believe me when I day this, DO NOT PUT IN A HEATER!! If it were to shut off one day or night they would die instantly due to the fact that they aren't used to the weather. They will ease into the cold on their own and that way you won't have to risk death.

I hope this helped!!
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Not likely.

 

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