winter watering question

[2txmedics]

so if you point your light in the coop at the water, it keeps it warm???....next question...on keeping hens warm...if I keep the light on like I did last year...before I know what I do now about chickens....

It will interrupt there sleep cycles....so how do I get past this to keep them warm????

 

[Akane]

A red bulb which most really high wattage heat lamp bulbs are will work fine. The hens can sleep through it. They will still be more active at night and may get down for food and water or even lay at night but they will sleep plenty. There are also heater "bulbs" that screw into a standard light socket but produce no light. They only give off heat and therefore can produce more heat off the same electricity. However they are rather expensive.

 

[newchickmom]

I use a home-made heater under my plastic 3-gal waterer and it works great.

 

[nhnanna]

Quote:
How is it made?

 

[LynneP]

I hated the metal base and metal waterer too. Used an electric dog bowl (shown in middle of this page) and found it perfect. Our coop is insulated and we had temps lower than -40C chill factor, so our weather is like yours.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=7693-seasonal-concerns

 

[fordmommy]

Quote:
I agree with Ma. She told us about this one about a week or so ago. I plan on getting the round one. I hate metal too!

She said it ships the same day and you get it in two. Awesome!

 

[ktsmom]

i know it's time consuming, and leaves the birdies with ice sometimes, but i fill each 1 gallon waterer (or bucket of water, depending on who it is for) in the morning, then run home from work at lunch and switch out frozen ones for the clean ones i washed, while letting dogs out for a potty break (elderly dog who can't make it all day regularly anymore), then right after work, if water is frozen, i clean up the frozen ones from lunch and give them to the birds again. They didn't seem to mind the routine last year, but the ducks didn't like it one bit! They like swim time all day every day!! but if the hose is frozen, they don't get swim water. Luckily, this past winter, at least every few days, we had one warm enough in the afternoon, after the sun was out for awhile, where the hose was thawed and I could give them swim time...but only for long enough to clean themselves up a bit, water got dumped so they would be dry by dark. This year, with more ducks, more chickens, and turkeys in the picture, I am sure it'll be much more of a chore! I have my spring/summer routine down to about 20 minutes in the morning now, but after work, it's much longer. They all get let out after work, and that's also treat time, and their time to interact with everyone they don't "live with". I'm interested to see if my rooster is still willing to get along with the little guys when they start acting like roosters!! (ready with net to catch anyone who gets out of hand!!) I will soon have to buy more waterers...as all i have are currently in use. Last winter, I had spares so if something was frozen, I could leave it in the sink to thaw and put out a fresh one...then once thawed, i washed the frozen one and got it ready for the morning fill.

 

[MrsBishop]

I bought the heated plastic waterer from My Pet Chicken. I used it for a few days (not heated of course) until I had time to buy a second small waterer for the run. What a nightmare. The top and bottom are hard to line up to close it. It does have a plug underneath so you can fill it without taking it apart but if you fill it too full it pulls apart. I will have to find an alternate for winter. Save your money.