Winter water

[beckyschicks]

How does everyone that gets snow and freesing temps keep their waterers from freezing. DH and I are having a debt about how we are going to do it. With the chickens I just change the water 2 or 3 times a day in a rubber grain bowl. Also, I have made the quail cages draft free, will that be enough? I'm in WI and it gets cold here. Any advice would be great. thanks

PS I have cortunix quails if that makes a difference.

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

Are they in a shed or barn? Is there electricity near them?

 

[Denninmi]

I just change the water twice a day, and use fairly hot tap water (like 120 when it comes out, probably cooled to around 100-105 by the time it's in the water pan.

Those little electric bucket heaters do work, but they sure add to the electric bill.

All of the birds seemed fine with this last winter, even the ducks. All of them also seemed to really enjoy eating snow when it fell off the roofs into their enclosures. They would pounce on it right away, no matter how much fresh water they had, just seemed to enjoy it. I guess that shouldn't surprise me, my dog INSISTS on having a great big bowl of ice cubes every night after he eats his dinner.

 

[beckyschicks]

They are in a barn and electric is near. Maybe I will just have to change it twice a day. I really don't want to plug anything in, because of the money. I already have tank heaters for the horses and goats. Thanks for the advice

 

[_Randall_]

I live in north central Missippy, and we don't see that much "frigid" temperatures here. But, we had some days / nights of abnormally cold temps here back in Jan. / Feb. where the night-time temps got in the low teens, and the daytime highs struggled to get above freezing. I still use the 1 gallon gravity waterers in all my pens, mainly because I trust them. Yeah, it's an every day affair of refilling 12 - 14 of them, but I know they will have water. As far as keeping their water a liquid, and not becoming a solid, I invested in enough brooder lamps fixtures and 250 watt heat lamp bulbs to have them hover about 18" over the top of the waterer, and it keeps the water from freezing solid, whether in the container part of the waterer, or the drink ring. I've got the circuit controlled off of one of these...... http://www.pet-dog-cat-supply-store.com/shop/index.php?page=shop-flypage-25504 - Turns on at 35º - off at 45º. I have solid walls on the North and West sides of my pens in winter...........without that, it may not do its job. Of course, they make pet water bowl warmers, and other "freeze proof" gadgets, but I have more faith in the heat lamp keeping the whole works from freezing.

 

[joe125]

Last time I checked...the laws of physics apply in my little world. Water tends to freeze at 32 deg. F (0C).

When it's 10 deg. F here...I just change out the water more often than when it's 99 deg.F..