Winter water?

[jmagill]

Aquarium heaters will not melt the plastic. They have a temp set on them the lowest( I think) is 74 degrees. I use a 25 watt one most of the winter. I just had to put mine in yesterday.

I find that my chickens drink more water in the winter when it is warmer. I also find egg production is better when the water is warmer.

 

[Bellacoby]

Hi, sorry to tag on at the end but I am new and my coop and run are almost complete. I live in the mid-atlantic so winters can be a mixed bag. I plan on having my waterer in the run on a heated pad if needed, however, do I also need to have water in the coop when they are "cooped" up for the night roosting? My coop is not very big so that is my concern? I have made my run predator proof so i plan on letting them out each day where the food/water is but again, what about in the coop for the nights? Thanks

 

[Our Roost]

Bellacoby! Last year I picked up a heated dog dish waterer from Tractors supply. It actually came in 2 sizes. I fill a plastic milk jug or 2 full of water to fill it and it saves me from chipping ice chunks out of their summer water bowls that always froze up. I do not have water outside the coop in the winter months. Except for really nice winter days they spend most of their time inside the coop and not in my run area which usually has over a foot of snow anyhow! I built a wire sided florida room attached to the coop for them to have sheltered access to get out of the coop and be free from predators. Its great in the summer and fall monthsto keep them in when you want to step out for a bit. That gets some blowing snow inside it as well but not so bad they cant get out and strut around. Home Depot also sells a very good thermostatically controlled heated electrical wire for wrapping around pipes or water lines. Just another suggestive idea. Good luck!

 

[Bellacoby]

Thanks for the ideas! My only concern is my coop size. 2 roosting perches and the coop itself is about 4'x4' then the nesting box off the back, so keeping a waterer in there is going to be tight. Might have to go with the "small animal" waterer. We have many days not freezing so I am certain they are going to want to go out a lot.

 

[Mehjr10]

They don't need water in the coop, when they are roosting they will not be drinking. I water mine in the run...

 

[Our Roost]

Let me get this right. Chickens spend all their time on the roost at night and dont need water in the coop because they spend their whole time outdoors during the winter? Sounds like Tennesee weather to me! My birds in my location spend the better part of the winter inside the coop. I keep both their feed and water inside during that time period so it is out of the elements and doesnt freeze. And yes they are heated water dishes.

 

[Bellacoby]

Thanks for both opinions. I am in Maryland and our winters are so unpredictable. Sometimes we rarely go below freezing sometimes we have a month of below freezing. I will see how they like being outside during the day and I will make changes if it is too cold and they don't want to come outside. Regardless, I will obviously make sure fresh food and un-frozen water is available... Thanks again!

 

[Mehjr10]

Let me get this right. Chickens spend all their time on the roost at night and don't need water in the coop because they spend their whole time outdoors during the winter? Sounds like Tennessee weather to me! My birds in my location spend the better part of the winter inside the coop. I keep both their feed and water inside during that time period so it is out of the elements and doesn't freeze. And yes they are heated water dishes.

If you read the question again, or here ", however, do I also need to have water in the coop when they are "cooped" up for the night roosting?" Is the portion that I was replying to. If they do not have the ability to go outside during the day then you would need the water inside for the day..

Tennessee weather is slightly milder than Michigan's, but I still run my nipple system with a rain barrel feed with a heater and heat tape outside of the coop. We don't get too many snow day's, unfortunately.

 

[QuoVadis]

How well do aquarium heaters work in cold weather for a 5g bucket, that feeds a couple nipples on a pvc pipe that is attached to it? This is what I'm leaning toward using, because it seems the safest, cheapest, and least messy alternative. Around here it probably averages 20s for most the winter and we usually have at least a week or two where it hovers around 0 F. Would the nipple part freeze, or would the warmth of the water be enough to keep them flowing?

 

[Mehjr10]

The nipple may still freeze if you do not put a return line back to the the supply. This could also depend on how long the pvc pipe is. You could also add a heat tape to the pipe. I just use a 30' heat tape wrapped around my 55 gallon drum and along the supply line to the pvc pipe that my nipples are mounted on.. It has worked well so far... Only problem is the birds like to eat the foam pipe wrap.