Winter water?

[SDFarmMom]

I am fairly new to having farm animals and have been learning as I go of course. We live in SD so understand the concern with water freezing! Last year we just had our horses that already had a heated tank but added farm cats so bought a heated dog dish (very reasonable price of $20 @ running) that sat outside all winter and never frooze. It worked so great that I bought another one for my new baby pygmy goats for this winter. This spring I bought chickens and turkeys and use the metal type feeders and water contains just because I didnt care much for the plastic ones I bought in the beginning. I want to keep using them this water so went to Tractor supply and bought heaters they make to go under them, they are right in the poultry section.

 

[jetchids]

you may consider using a crockpot....

 

[Shimmana]

I bought a heated water bowl for dogs, which works great. Easy to bring in and clean.

 

[Marty1876]

We use magnetic sm tank warmers under our waterers for the birds. We just put bricks under it, and the warmer nested in between them when sat down properly. They are about 2 x 3 inches and plug in 110. Available at farm supply store.

 

[kenchirole]

I also live in minnesota also have the same problem water keeps evaporating very fast or it kinda freezes thanks for posting this!!

 

[dutch girl]

I use a small bucket and hang an aquarium heater on the lowest setting. I do have the heater encased in a piece of plastic tubing , so they don't accidentally pick at it and break it. Cost minimal as I still had an old heater. Just container and an extension cord which I needed for the light anyway. Works like a charm!

 

[overthetop]

But if you want to get one of the "heated poultry fountains" that aoxz posted a picture of, you can order it from Rural King (I LOVE Rural King!!!) Don't know if you have Rural Kings in MN or not, but you can get one online:

http://www.ruralking.com/farm-innovators-3-gal-plastic-heated-poultry-fountain.html

 

[overthetop]

Love the cookie tin water heater though, that ADozenGirlz so kindly contributed!!!! I think we'll try that! Should work beautifully here in South Carolina where 20 degrees is considered "really darn cold"! (hehehe)
and Much cheaper to do-it-yourselfthan buying the commercial version!

 

[janelle18]

I live in SW Ontario, and we get some pretty cold winters! I have 8 different pens with chickens in them inside a barn. Right now the chickens are on automatic watering bowls that run from a large bucket outside the pen down a hose and fill the dish when the chickens peck at it. One bucket is shared between two pens. It would be easy to heat the buckets because there is electricity in the barn, but i worry about the water freezing in the hose or in the dish? Does anyone else have a similar situation or a possible solution?

 

[Minniechickmama]

I live in SW Ontario, and we get some pretty cold winters! I have 8 different pens with chickens in them inside a barn. Right now the chickens are on automatic watering bowls that run from a large bucket outside the pen down a hose and fill the dish when the chickens peck at it. One bucket is shared between two pens. It would be easy to heat the buckets because there is electricity in the barn, but i worry about the water freezing in the hose or in the dish? Does anyone else have a similar situation or a possible solution?

After reading some of this thread earlier, I went looking for aquarium heaters. I found some for under $10 that I am going to try in my nipple waterers. I plan to use them on 3" PVC pipe hanging in each of my pens. I have 9 large breeding pens and a small bantam pen that is on the back wall of each that I am going to put them in. I am tired of cleaning poop out of dog dishes.