~Winter water???

[mamaof2wi]

Nope. It takes about 6 hrs for a 3 gal bucket of warm water to freeze, and that's if nobody is moving the water around by sticking their head in, so if you are just able to go out a couple of times a day, they'll be fine.

You would leave that right outside or in pen?

 

[DuckGirl77]

I was thinking about wrapping heating tape around the bottom bowl. But would that keep the water in the bucket warm enough not to freeze?

I think it would, but if not, it's better than nothing.

 

[duluthralphie]

I dont think I can find one that big..but maybe I get a smaller bucket and just fill twice a day. Good thought thank you!

Hi,

I have some of those heated plastic waterers. They are a one season item for us and a pain in the rear. I suggest a large rubber dog bowl. You can just knock the ice out of them and they do not break. (the black rubber ones) Not pretty but functional.

I do not have ducks so I do not know their water needs in the winter, we are fairly close to each other so our winters. I find the metal waterers with the sleeve over the kettle part on a heater works the best.

Just know nothing is perfect. Winter watering is a chore! and not fun for us.



Oh I tried the heat tape around the pan...failed,...

 

[mamaof2wi]

Hi,

I have some of those heated plastic waterers. They are a one season item for us and a pain in the rear. I suggest a large rubber dog bowl. You can just knock the ice out of them and they do not break. (the black rubber ones) Not pretty but functional.

I do not have ducks so I do not know their water needs in the winter, we are fairly close to each other so our winters. I find the metal waterers with the sleeve over the kettle part on a heater works the best.

Just know nothing is perfect. Winter watering is a chore! and not fun for us.



Oh I tried the heat tape around the pan...failed,...

Really u tried it? Just did not keep the water from freezing?

 

[Cherib603]

You would leave that right outside or in pen? 

Outside. You can also simply wrap a few layers of bubble wrap around a plastic bucket and duct tape it securely so ducks don't pick it apart.

I'm using the 3 gallon flexible rubber feed bowls.

 

[mamaof2wi]

Outside. You can also simply wrap a few layers of bubble wrap around a plastic bucket and duct tape it securely so ducks don't pick it apart.

I'm using the 3 gallon flexible rubber feed bowls.

Thanks!!!

 

[duluthralphie]

Really u tried it? Just did not keep the water from freezing?

It worked until about 10 degrees, below that it was just a waste of electricity. I even tried a barrel wrapped in heat tape with a heater inside insulated it and inside another barrel with a heat light on a drinking cup. Other than raising my electric bill, nothing good happened.

I am still searching for the perfect winter waterer. I am actually thinking of dumping hot water into the rubber bowls and them only getting water until it freezes.


BTW Hot water, regardless of what the wives tales say, will stay unfrozen longer than cold, there are more calories to leave, at some point the hot and cold would have to reach the exact same temp on the way to becoming ice. It defies logic to think the water that was hotter once would freeze faster from that point on. I have heard that same thing about hot water freezing faster, I wonder where it started and why?

 

[cayugaducklady]

I don't have electricity near my duck's outdoor pen.

Last year I used flexi rubber pans for drinking. If they froze over it was easy to dump the ice out. I also used solar heated drinking bowls. They worked well enough for me to use them again this winter.

I had 4 ducks last winter and they did an amazing job of keeping the water ice free.

Last winter was crazy mild for us in terms in snow fall and temps. We only had 3 days with -25 wind chills.

This year I have 6 ducks. We're considering using an RV battery to power a water heater and a solar charger to trickle charge the battery.

 

[mamaof2wi]

I don't have electricity near my duck's outdoor pen.

Last year I used flexi rubber pans for drinking. If they froze over it was easy to dump the ice out. I also used solar heated drinking bowls. They worked well enough for me to use them again this winter.

I had 4 ducks last winter and they did an amazing job of keeping the water ice free.

Last winter was crazy mild for us in terms in snow fall and temps. We only had 3 days with -25 wind chills.

This year I have 6 ducks. We're considering using an RV battery to power a water heater and a solar charger to trickle charge the battery.

Solar powered bowls? Where did u get them??

 

[cayugaducklady]

At the moment I can't remember. It was either from Amazon (solar heated water bowls) or a backyard bird seed/watching catalog. I looked at them in both places.

They're used to provide drinking water to winter backyard birds, feral cats and outdoor pets.

Both of mine made it through the winter with shiny colors. Although they really weren't tested too hard last winter