Winter water

[yankee]

Here in Pittsburgh it is 90 degrees today, so this feels like an odd question. This is my first year rasing chickens. Right now for water I just use a five gallon bucket in a planter base, outside the coop for water. I want to be a little proactive and am looking for suggustions for the winter to keep the water from freezing. What does everybody use?

Yankee

 

[CtlisencedArborist]

Dosnt usually freeze ova in my coop in winter.The bulb kinda keeps the freeze off.There are heated water pans.

 

[FamilyOfChickens]

We use warm water to start with, and change it as much as we have the time for. Also, we put a heat lamp in the coop, over the water. If it freezes for a little while, no big deal, they can go without water for a little while. Really, it's not too difficult to manage. (And it gets pretty chilly here in the wintertime.

)

 

[justusnak]

Here is what I plan on trying.....hope this works for you as well!


http://www.website-design.ca/chick_heat.html

 

[hinkjc]

Yup, that's what we use..heated cookie tins with a 25 watt bulb for 1 gallon plastic waterers. Then there are bigger metal ones you can buy for the large waterers. And heated dog dishes work well for large fowl, waterfowl and turkeys (do not use for bantams for risk of drowning or inability to reach in).

If you only have a single waterer, many people just keep an extra on hand and swap it out a couple times a day. But be careful not to keep it full or it will crack when it freezes. You could also try hanging a heat lamp overhead to keep it from freezing over.

Remember fire risks with using heaters. Any heater base should be used on bricks or hollywood blocks to keep from starting bedding materials, hay, etc on fire. Safety first.


Jody

 

[Standard Hen]

I use the heated dog water bowls, they work well and are not that expensive.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

That's what I'm thinking of using. Just trying to figure out how to get power to the coop other than by extension cord. Small solar cell?

 

[Standard Hen]

Coyote, I use an extension cord from the barn because I could not figure out any other way. It worked well but I do hate seeing cords!

 

[yankee]

Thanks for all the info on the water, some good ideas and I'll keep brainstorming.

I haven't ran my electricity yet, but I plan on running underground wire to the coop, or regular 110 wire through some conduit. For heat in the coop I think I may put in two bulbs, like I use for my reptiles. A normal 60-100watt bulb for the daytime (keep them laying, and warm) and a black heat lamp for the real cold winter nights.

I can see I'm not alone with the water concerns, If I come up with something good I let you know. I may go with that tin can idea, looks effective and simple.