Winter Waterer Success at -17F

[gtaus]

I need to check into this! Thanks for the information.

If you live somewhere where the water freezes in the winter, then I think you cannot find a better solution than using this metal waterer and metal base heater. All animals should have access to fresh water 24/7 for their good health. I know some people choose to tote out fresh water 2 or 3 times a day in the winter in the winter, but I'm getting too old for that. Plus, I just think it's better for my birds to have fresh water when they need it and not have to wait for me to dump out the frozen ice and refill it fresh water.

 

[Sally PB]

Oh, plenty of frozen water in the winter here in Michigan! The big lake keeps the temperatures more moderate than Minnesota, but we can have below zero.

My concern is about electricity in the coop/run. It will have to be an extension cord. Someone posted a link with an outdoor rated one, and I might do that.

 

[gtaus]

Oh, plenty of frozen water in the winter here in Michigan! The big lake keeps the temperatures more moderate than Minnesota, but we can have below zero.

My concern is about electricity in the coop/run. It will have to be an extension cord. Someone posted a link with an outdoor rated one, and I might do that.

You don't need a heavy duty outdoor extension cord. The heater uses something like125 watts, equivalent to a light bulb. I have an orange 50' 16/3 extension cord that I paid maybe around $10 on sale at Menards.

Here is a link for Smart Electrician® 40' 16/3 Light-Duty Green Outdoor Extension Cord at Menards for just over $10 everyday price. I do have a heavy duty outdoor 12/3 extension cord for powered saws and pumps, but that costs about $50 for 50 feet. You don't need that heavy cable for this metal base heater. However, if you need to buy a heavy duty extension cord for some other projects, then of course this could be your reason to upgrade your purchase.

I had my extension cord laying on the ground from the house outside outlet to the chicken coop all winter, the line was sitting under about 3 feet of snow at times, and I never had any problems. Inside the coop, I was concerned that the chickens might peck at the electrical cord(s), but they did not. So, I am heading into my 2nd winter with no worries about an electrical cord temporarily run out to the coop for the winter.

We have had a few nights dipping below freezing this week, but yesterday morning was the first time I saw frozen water in the outside water pan in the chicken run. So I ran my extension cord out to the coop and plugged in the base heater. This morning, our temp was about 26F and the outside water was frozen solid. I checked the temp of the water in the waterer with the metal base heater, and it was 52F.

The base heater has a built in sensor to turn on the power to keep the water just above freezing, so it does not burn electricity unless needed. This time of year, maybe it turns on in the dead of the night for 2-3 hours. That is about 3 cents per day for me. In the dead of winter, assuming that the heater is on 24/7, for me that is 30 cents per day. Well worth it for me.

 

[gtaus]

Just want to add that if you are concerned about potential fire hazard by using a base heater in the coop, I really don't think there is much danger. Having said that, I put a 2 inch thick concrete patio block on top of my wood chip deep bedding, then I put the metal base heater on the concrete block, then the waterer on the metal base. The advantage to me was that I was able to get my waterer another 2 inches off the ground level (plus 3 inches for the metal base heater) and the chickens don't scratch as much debris into the waterer.

 

[Sally PB]

I had ice in the chicken water this morning. Soooo ready to move the coop up by the house. Just not looking forward to actually doing it; it'll probably take an entire day. The chickens won't like it either, I'm sure.

 

[gtaus]

I had ice in the chicken water this morning. Soooo ready to move the coop up by the house. Just not looking forward to actually doing it; it'll probably take an entire day. The chickens won't like it either, I'm sure.

I built my chicken coop on an old boat trailer frame with the idea that I, too, would move the chicken coop next to the house for the winter months. It is completely mobile. However, Dear Wife was not onboard where I wanted to move the coop by the house. Her suggestion was as far from the house as where I initially located the coop in our backyard. So, my mobile coop has not moved, nor do I expect it to ever move, from it's present place in our backyard.

 

[Sally PB]

If I could do it all by myself, I would have done so already. Alas, hubby is much needed for this. I think when I have to ford through the snow down our steep driveway, or try not to fall on the ice down our steep driveway, he will take pity on me and we will get it moved.

I'm hoping for sooner, rather than later. There is a lot to take apart on the run enclosure. Soooo many zip ties to cut, pieces/patches of hardware cloth, chicken wire, fencing. Cold fingers will make it harder. Actually, moving the coop will be the easy part.

I'm really hoping to find a way to convince him that it should stay up by the house. Maybe I could tell him that if we make the whole side yard a chicken run, he won't have to mow it...?

 

[gtaus]

I'm hoping for sooner, rather than later.

Good luck. We got our first light snow fall yesterday. Winter is coming....