| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| AlyssaMarie |
Posted - Dec 07 2009 : 3:37:52 PM
Hi everyone! My husband and I have been racking our brains trying to figure out how to keep the water in our lamb's water trough from freezing. Their pasture is too far from electricity to put in a submersible heater. And I just keep thinking that a hundred years ago they probably didn't have electricity on farms for such things as this - so there must be a way. Does anyone have any suggestions??
AlyssaMarie @ Link'd Hearts Ranch
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| 16 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Marybeth |
Posted - Dec 09 2009 : 06:04:29 AM
Haul and chop ice----that's what we have always done. Until it is warm in the winter that is what we will continue to do. MB
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"Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here we might as well dance!" |
| katmom |
Posted - Dec 08 2009 : 10:02:13 PM
What a great thread.....
my poor daughter has to break ice as well as drag over hot water from the house to the Goat pin/barn as they to do not have electricity run out there yet.
Thanx for the great suggestions. I'll pass them along to her.
>^..^< Happiness is being a katmom.
"I've never met a sewing machine I didn't like!"
www.katmom4.blogspot.com & http://www.graciesvictorianrose.blogspot.com
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| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Dec 08 2009 : 1:24:10 PM
We use a tank heater for Mona (and Pearl and the sheeps) water. It is a big old metal bathtub. You can't use them in plastic water tanks, but they work fine in metal. I spent alot of years hauling buckets of hot water all the way out to fill it, and breaking deep ice twice or more a day in winter and this $18 item made such a difference!!! I got mine at the feed store (IFA) and it is going on it's third winter now. There are floating ones and the ones that go to the bottom..we have the bottom one since MOna plays with the floating kind and tosses them off the water. The heater things don't keep the water warm..just warm enough to keep from freezing. Very nice. I got a heated water bucket for the chickens too. It was sold for dogs but works for them as well. It has been cold and stormy here the past couple days...9" of snow since yesterday.
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
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| Betty J. |
Posted - Dec 08 2009 : 1:11:16 PM
It was 1 deg. when I got up at 8 this morning and went down to zero. I'm so glad I have an inside dog and don't have to worry about animals. It would make my hair grayer than it already is.
Betty in Pasco |
| vtstevens |
Posted - Dec 08 2009 : 12:50:56 PM
got down to 16 degrees last night in rural Woodinville, I put out a much larger container of water (takes longer to freeze), been toting boiling water out every couple of hours to thaw the chickens' water. This weather is weird!
Virginia
I don't suffer from stress. I'm a carrier.
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| sherrye |
Posted - Dec 08 2009 : 12:26:54 PM
oh teresa what a simple smart idea. i will try this today. we were -14 last night and a wind chill of -28. where am i alaska or what. the west coast and mtns. are so cold. not one of my favorite days. clear blue sky snow on the ground and tonight -10 again. ok i am ready for some warm rain. so i shall go put a pine log in my stock tanks thanks sherry the learn as we go far,m silk purse |
| 1badmamawolf |
Posted - Dec 08 2009 : 09:35:35 AM
Get a chunk of wood, make sure its non-treated and float it, (you might need more than one piece, depending on surface size), this will not prevent all freezing, but it will make it much easier to break the ice, and most animals will learn to drink up next to the wood, where its not froze.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
| Old Spirit |
Posted - Dec 08 2009 : 07:16:05 AM
We too just haul water each day for the sheep, maybe next year something new but this year that will be it.
Rae
Farm Girl #647
...those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles:...
Isaiah 40:31
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| City Chick |
Posted - Dec 08 2009 : 04:32:40 AM
I have this http://www.shopwbu.com/products/productdetail/part_number=1517/567.0.1.1 in my bird bath. But it's rated for farm use. I'm sure you could find it at a farmers supply or elsewhere. It even said on the box that it was for an animals water supply.
Sorry - just saw you're too far from electricity! Sorry.
Farm Girl #790
http://www.xanga.com/My_Pondering_Place
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| Alee |
Posted - Dec 07 2009 : 8:50:04 PM
Here are some ideas-
You could get the solar powered tank heaters as has been mentioned,
You could get some black paint and paint your tank black on the outside (passive solar transmission of heat) Unfortunatly that will only work on sunny days.
Put some sort of insulating material around 3 sides of your tank like straw to keep in what heat you do add in there either via boiling water from the house or solar heat.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
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| goneriding |
Posted - Dec 07 2009 : 8:21:02 PM
The Grange people told me that there is a solar-powered heater for water tanks. I need one badly as the tank is too far away from the source to even be safe. The downside is, they said it would be pretty darn expensive. So, we're chopping ice for the time being...
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| cheneygal |
Posted - Dec 07 2009 : 7:43:07 PM
Hey CherryPie~~Check out your local Del's Feed and Farm Supply in Puyallup......I work for the one over here in Cheney, and I know here awhile back we got heated bases for poultry waterers. They should be able to help ya!! I used to live in Enumclaw, and for sure, that cold weather you guys are getting is pretty unusual. As for us over here, not so much!!
live, laugh, love |
| NancyM |
Posted - Dec 07 2009 : 7:29:06 PM
Boy we western Washingtonians just aren't cut out for this weather are we? Sorry I can't offer any advice on your lamb trough that doesn't require electricity.
Nancy
Farmgirl Sister #159 |
| CherryPie |
Posted - Dec 07 2009 : 5:07:24 PM
Boy, I could use something for my chickens too. The water I bring out has been freezing right away. I'm trying hot water, in a plastic waterer, in their coop. It's still below freezing out but maybe some residual heat will keep it thawed.
Kimberly Ann
Farmgirl Sister #225
Crochet Geek, Newbie Fiddler, Would-be Farmer, Backyard Chicken Rancher, Soon to Be Podcaster
http://beesinourbonnetsintheburbs.blogspot.com/ |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Dec 07 2009 : 4:19:38 PM
I just have to fill up buckets in the house and carry around to all my critters. My water hoses freeze up. It's just part of winter. But isn't there some type of container that is not supposed to freeze the water? Wouldn't that be nice to have.
Good luck.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| maggie14 |
Posted - Dec 07 2009 : 3:49:12 PM
I have the same problem Alyssa. Hope someone can helps us out.
Hugs,
Channah
If you can dream it, and if you are willing to put forth the work and effort, you can have anything you envision. |
