Yee ha - Winter is here! Question about water

[NHMountainMan]

I am trying the Premier 1 heated waterer inside the coop which is sealed. I haven’t plugged it in yet though. We got to 12 degrees last night, wind chill was-6. But the coop only got to 30 and the waterer didn’t freeze. (Yup - I’m tracking both- kind of nerdy, I know) The water outside was frozen solid, and I replaced it with warm water. But I will test hot vs cold freezing times.

 

[Chickassan]

I wouldnt care if you came from Mars, yee hawing winter is a rare occurance.

Am I not allowed to say YeeHaw because I’m a Yankee?? It was it the winter love in general. If I could convince my wife we’d be way up north in Alaska. I hate heat and humidity.. I took the Mrs to Alaska a few years back hoping to convince her to move. She thought Alaska was just NH on steroids. But at least she agree to retire here rather than move south!

 

[NHMountainMan]

I wouldnt care if you came from Mars, yee hawing winter is a rare occurance.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I am trying the Premier 1 heated waterer inside the coop which is sealed. I haven’t plugged it in yet though. We got to 12 degrees last night, wind chill was-6. But the coop only got to 30 and the waterer didn’t freeze. (Yup - I’m tracking both- kind of nerdy, I know) The water outside was frozen solid, and I replaced it with warm water. But I will test hot vs cold freezing times.

My coop is usually at least 5 degrees or more warmer than the outside temps. However, I don't keep a waterer in there anymore. My coop is only 8 ft X 10 ft. During the winter I usually remove the waterer at night after they are all roosting. They get fresh water daily in the run. I do cover my run walls with heavy plastic to block the winds. This helps to warm up the coop as well as the run. There is plenty of ventilation and the heavy plastic can be moved to allow more air in on warmer winter days. Like me, you are retired and have the luxury of extra time to spend on your chickens. I don't mind making a few runs to the chicken yard to make sure their water is flowing freely.
OK. In defense of cold winters: Insect borne diseases are a big problem in New England. I'm sure you have your own insect issues in those warmer states. But I look forward to the first hard freeze of the winter. It kills the ticks that carry Lyme disease and other illnesses and it kills the mosquitoes that carry EEE (Eastern Equine Encephalitis) that has killed several people this year in Massachusetts alone and also the mosquitos that carry West Nile Virus. And nothing does a body as good, young and old alike, as some good old winter aerobics of shoveling snow and chopping ice. An added bonus, bears hibernate so I can finally fill my bird feeders to keep my feathered neighbors fat and happy. So Happy Winter to you @NHMountainMan, nothing better than a New England winter.

 

[aart]

I am trying the Premier 1 heated waterer inside the coop which is sealed. I haven’t plugged it in yet though. We got to 12 degrees last night, wind chill was-6. But the coop only got to 30 and the waterer didn’t freeze. (Yup - I’m tracking both- kind of nerdy, I know)

This one?
https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/heated-poultry-waterer

Odd that much of a temp difference, wonders if you have enough ventilation?
My coop is same temp inside as outside...with some lag.
Nerdy, eh, maybe....I love it and think it's 'normal'...guess we're both nerds.

 

[NHMountainMan]

This one?
https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/heated-poultry-waterer

Odd that much of a temp difference, wonders if you have enough ventilation?
My coop is same temp inside as outside...with some lag.
Nerdy, eh, maybe....I love it and think it's 'normal'...guess we're both nerds.

Yes, that’s the one that’s inside the coop.
I think I am ok with ventilation. I was inside the coop last night checking on air flow,(yup- using a match to check for drafts) between soffit and gable vents, there was good air movement overhead without a draft on the chickens. Last night was the first below freezing night that we also had wind.
It has been consistently 5-7 degrees warmer than outside. Not sure why the wider gap last night. Going to need to calibrate.

 

[aart]

Going to need to calibrate.

Calibrate the sensors...how?

 

[NHMountainMan]

Calibrate the sensors...how?

I guess calibrate was the wrong word choice. I bought both sensors inside to check if they both read the same temp as the indoor thermometer. They were both accurate, at least while in the house.

 

[aart]

I guess calibrate was the wrong word choice. I bought both sensors inside to check if they both read the same temp as the indoor thermometer. They were both accurate, at least while in the house.

Yeah, 'testing' would be a better word.
I was going to suggest swapping(inside to outside) them to 'test'.

 

[The Angry Hen]

they prevent it freezing by moving around the water

This is a good idea. Ping-pong balls for instance. Anything safe, with a floating/bobbing constant movement. As long as the birds can't choke on anything, this is a natural prevention of freezing. It's safer than heating resources.
I previously used nipple buckets with a heated wrap. But I became weary of it- and carrying it across the icy driveway doesn't help much.
Now, I have shielded dim lights over plastic buckets. I fill them with a bigger bucket... And the ice is (normally) thin enough to crack. The birds do like pecking at the chips so they help me break it up.

Then again, I'm in Maine. Ice is the inevitable so I've tried my best, so far, avoiding it.