Winter watering WITHOUT electricity?

[Tala]

I know heated waters have been talked to death, and I looooooved my heated dog bowls. Problem is that my chickens now live offsite and currently don't have electric OR water. I also work odd hours, so it's not like I can be running them fresh water 15 times a day either. (ok I exaggerate a bit about 15 times.....but you get the idea)

What do you guys do in the absensce of electric power?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I bought some rubber black ?fortex formex whatever the brand name is- bowls.

They are supposed to be easy to dump ice out of because they are flexible. I read about them on this board. I haven't used them in winter yet though. My husband won't let me use an electric waterer.

But I will be putting fresh water out three times a day. If your chickens are far away, I don't know what to tell you.

 

[darkmatter]

I use the black rubber tubs in winter. When it's really cold, they are easy to turn over and stomp out the ice, then refill. I keep mine elevated in the Coop above the deep litter on concrete blocks. The Coop stays an easy 15 -20 degrees warmer then outside. I never had water or electricity run to my Coop, which has been in use over 15 years now. (See my BYC page for pics of Coop) In the morning when I let them out, I toss a little scratch out and refill the water as needed.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
Oooooooh I liked your page- especially the rainwater idea.

 

[birdicus7]

A quick cheap fix is to cut the bottom 4" of a five gallon bucket. They flex when frozen, are tapered enough that a frozen block of ice slides out when you tap it on the ground. Plus you can even get round cages with cone tops to go over them.

 

[Tala]

Quote:
I have very open coops due to the summers we have in Arkansas heat is far mor of a threat to the birds than cold. It rarely stays below +20F and the chickens do fine, but the coop is mostly a wind & rain block for them, not an insulated hidey hole. Unfortunately, liquid water is not as hardy as the chickens are

I have some 4qt fortex (or whatever) black rubber pans - they make great all-around dishes I use them constantly. Perhaps I'll get a couple more, so the dog can still have a bowl while the chickens have water

 

[oberhaslikid]

I do this for my goats and you could do it for the chickens.I did not have electric run to the chicken house until last winter I carried water twice a day to all animals.
I took a tire and stuffed the inside with straw or hay to insulate and then stacked another and stuffed it and then placed a 5 gallon bucket inside the tire hole and it kept the goats water from freezing inside the barn. The rest of the year I water in tubs outside.
Just take one tire and place a rubber fortex feed pan that fits the tire hole and insulate the tire and see if it doesnt help.If it gets frozen you can beat the ice out with a hammer.

 

[apdan]

Quote:
Thats exactly how I water my chickens and ducks for the winter. The black rubber tubs work really good if you don't have heated bowls. I had a heated dog bowl for some of my ducks last year and this year I am not even going to get it out. Just using the black rubber dishes.

 

[EweSheep]

Yep black Fortex dish pans for my girls. Ice blocks comes outo f them in the morning and I would put in warm water for them. They appreciated it.

 

[ranchhand]

I have a friend who lives in the perpetually frozen winter areas- she uses an old cooler, like the ones that hold a 6 or 12 pack? The insulated walls keep it thawed.