Winter water, no electricity, all options on the table

[saysfaa]

I also want to try a sealed off container of hotter water in the water. They drink a max of about two cups, so there should be room for it. As it is, I start out with about luke warm water so it doesn't steam into their space.

 

[Badchickenpun]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/winter-waterer-without-electricity-no-freezing.1497407/

Edit to add, that was what I remember intending that thread to be. I guess it didn't turn out that way as much as I thought.

Threads do that... it's like each solution has its drawbacks. I wish BYC would have an article where they talk about all the options, and pros/cons

 

[Badchickenpun]

I also want to try a sealed off container of hotter water in the water. They drink a max of about two cups, so there should be room for it. As it is, I start out with about luke warm water so it doesn't steam into their space.

So the hanging waterer has a two fold issue, I think. The water in the top and the water in the ring. The water in the top hasn't frozen solid yet, but the ring, where they drink, has, because there is much less water to freeze.
So you can insular the top with spray foam and a large bucket, or addin a hot water bottle into the top. But the watee in the run ma still freeze.
Then I have seen these waterers setting on a bucket instead of hanging, with some sort of heated source in the up turned bucket. That is supposed to keep the water in the ring from freezing. I guess you could do both, but that would become a monster.
I've seen the version with a small hole for one chicken to drink at a time, but not a fan. Ours do everything as a group. If one eats, they all eat, if one drinks...
That's just what I see from the outside. I could be wrong...

 

[saysfaa]

Threads do that... it's like each solution has its drawbacks. I wish BYC would have an article where they talk about all the options, and pros/cons

Hm. Maybe I will write one.

So ...

I like the open top, too. For the same reasons and I find it a lot easier to clean, refill, and move.

 

[Badchickenpun]

Hm. Maybe I will write one.


I like the open top, too. For the same reasons and I find it a lot easier to clean, refill, and move.

That would be awesome. The wife wants us to buy these microwavable pucks, that can stay warm like up to 12 hours or so. I would make a ring (square) with bricks, under the tub, them lay down one sheel of stryfoam that fills the space made by the bricks... them set a second sheet on top but with a hole cut out in the middle that is just a bit bigger than the microwavable puck. Then set the tub on that.
The bricks and tub will completely cover the foam and the only direction the heat from the puck can go is up into the tub. We need to order the puck first, but I will take pics of the build and report back.

 

[Badchickenpun]

Hm. Maybe I will write one.


I like the open top, too. For the same reasons and I find it a lot easier to clean, refill, and move.

Oh, and my birds won't touch the hanging waterer if the tub is available

 

[RojoMarz]

I work from home so am able to take water to the chickens multiple times per day. Usually by 7am they get their first waterer. At lunchtime (11ish) I take a new one out and bring in the first one so it can thaw. Around 3 pm, I repeat the process. At dark, the water and food are removed from the run.

This year, I am trying a heated water powered by a solar panel. Hasn't worked well yet...we need to add another solar panel and battery. One panel and battery didn't have enough charge during the recent cold (highs in the low 20s), snowy, no sun couple of weeks.

 

[centrarchid]

Crushed ice and soaked oats.

 

[MotherofOrpies]

I use a normal pot, on bricks, and put ( depends on the temperatures) 1-3 grave light candles underneath

 

[Painted Calls]

I use rubber horse feed pans. Tip them over and the frozen water pops right out like an ice cube. Then I refill with water from the house.