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Barnyard Buddies:  Keeping chickens' water from freezing  |
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StrawHouseRanch
True Blue Farmgirl
1044 Posts
Paula
Holt
Missouri
USA
1044 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 15 2011 : 07:20:11 AM
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This is my first year with my six chickens and I'm starting to think about what I need to do for keeping their water from freezing. Does anyone use heated water bowls for their chickens in the winter? I haven't seen any heated poultry waterers yet that look like anything I would want to use.
Paula
Farmgirl Sister #3090
A Beehive is the ultimate Home Sweet Home
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retasos2
True Blue Farmgirl
272 Posts
Pilar
Centereach
NY
USA
272 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2011 : 09:30:36 AM
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I'm on the same boat. first yr with 5 chickens and not liking anything out there. Hubby wants something he can hang and is heated.
Pilar
Farmgirl Sister #2498
Little Hen House on the Island
" A woman is like a tea bag. You never know how strong she is, until she gets in hot water" Eleanore Roosevelt |
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Sabrena Orr
True Blue Farmgirl
198 Posts
Sabrena
Olympia
WA
USA
198 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2011 : 09:43:22 AM
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We purchased a heated base for their water to sit on (not exactly sure of the correct term for this item), but it is a round metal base that plugs in and we sit the chickens' water on it. It keeps it from freezing during our cold spells.
Sabrena, Olympia |
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batznthebelfry
True Blue Farmgirl
1257 Posts
Michele
Athol
Ma
USA
1257 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2011 : 10:03:08 AM
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Ok dear hens the easiest way to go about this is to have a area in the coop where you can use either a red heat lamp or clear heat lamp that is over the water bowl....I have had too many people have problems with the heated bases...they work then something happens & they don't & you are out the big money for them.....yes the lamp may effect the chickens if its a clear lighted one but I found if I use a red colored lamp they have no problems & will sleep thur the night with it on....
do not put the lamp right on top of it as the chickens may fly up into it...or it will heat the water to the point they won't drink it unless they have to...I put mine about 3 ft above it...it keeps the water from icing but does not boil it.....even though my 'kids' have a outside run I never put water out there in the winter so they have to come in to get feed & water but it also makes them get out of the cold for a bit so no frozen crowns or woddles or feet.
also beware that is the wire to the base heat waterer gets damaged you can wake up to a coop on fire, or if it goofs up the metal over heats & a fire can occur..... Now yes heat lamps can get damaged as well but if you keep it dusted, keep the wires up out of the way where you can see them, don't hide them so mice ect can chew them you will be safe...also make sure its really secure so it can't fall & cause the bedding ect to catch fire....
Now for those who have no electricity in the coops you can't do this but there is ways to keep the water from freezing up over & over each day......Find a thermal bag like you use to keep items warm in....put one under the waterer so it rest on it & then one big enough that you can slip over the top of the waterer to encase it.....also make sure not to put hot or ice cold water in the waterer....hot water actually freezes faster....& ice cold will take time to warm up a bit for them to drink....if all else fails find some old thermal long johns...cut the legs & slip the 2 legs over the top & put the seat/waist area under it...this way you don't have to go out every hour to check the water.....on really bad days you will still have to check it more often but this will cut down the ice build up & the 'kids' will thank you for it......oh old wool sweaters work for this also....Michele'
Chickens rule!
The Old Batz Farm
Hen #2622 |
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2011 : 1:54:11 PM
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if you are useing a bowl for water, just float a peice of wood in it, (make sure its not toxic or treated), this works great unless you have days and days of below zero weather, it also works for horse/ cattle / and other animals. I will not use anything electric where there is straw/hay/shavings etc, I have been witness to barn/coop fires, and its not something I want to see ever again...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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Sabrena Orr
True Blue Farmgirl
198 Posts
Sabrena
Olympia
WA
USA
198 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2011 : 2:23:16 PM
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I like the idea of the wood. We'll try that this winter. Our water heater base is in an area free of any shavings/wood so I think it's pretty safe. I would hate for anything to happen though..
Sabrena, Olympia |
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Lieberkim
True Blue Farmgirl
839 Posts
Kimberly
Sunnyside
WASHINGTON
USA
839 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2011 : 3:45:30 PM
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Move to a warmer climate????? :) I just give them water morning and night. But if you want them to have water available all through out the day there are some good ideas already on here!!
Excuse the mess & the noise, my children are making happy memories |
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SheilaC
True Blue Farmgirl
1948 Posts
Sheila
Vermont
USA
1948 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2011 : 7:47:55 PM
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Totally LOVE our heated water bowls, just regular heated dog bowls from TSC--I think they were like $20 or so. Sure beats having solid ice filled water bowls!
http://troutwife.blogspot.com/
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - Sep 16 2011 : 09:49:36 AM
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another suggestion is to insulate your coop, you can stack bales of straw around the outside, and drape tarps over them to protect them from the elements, so they can be used in the spring for what ever...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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FieldsofThyme
Farmgirl Guide & Schoolmarm / Chapter Leader
4928 Posts
USA
4928 Posts |
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walkinwalkoutcattle
True Blue Farmgirl
1675 Posts
Megan
Paint Lick
KY
USA
1675 Posts |
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laurentany
True Blue Farmgirl
3259 Posts
Laurie
Patchogue
NY
USA
3259 Posts |
Posted - Sep 17 2011 : 8:45:45 PM
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Boy do I hear y'all...it is a pain to keep the water from freezing- I do not run electricity to my coop so electric heaters etc are out for me. I have a friend that gave me a good idea- one that they use for their hens....
they purchased some type of "plumbing tape" from Lowes (the kind that plumbers use to wrap pipes to keep them from freezing) and they wrap the waterer with the tape and keep it IN the coop (not in the outside pen). They claim it works like a charm---- so I will be heading to Lowes to check it out myself! Hoping it does the trick instead of having to go out there several times a day to check on the water!
Smiles,
~Laurie
"Little Hen House on the Island"
Farmgirl Sister#1403
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.. |
Edited by - laurentany on Sep 17 2011 8:46:31 PM |
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StrawHouseRanch
True Blue Farmgirl
1044 Posts
Paula
Holt
Missouri
USA
1044 Posts |
Posted - Sep 18 2011 : 09:29:14 AM
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Thanks girls for all of your suggestions. It is interesting to see what folks from different parts of the country with varying severity of winters use. There are some really interesting ideas here though! I did try the floating chunk of wood when I first got horses and found that in Missouri, it just becomes an embedded chunk of wood in a block of ice. I think that if it kept moving it would help, but instead I needed to end up getting a tank heater for the horses.
I'm nervous about running electricity to my little tractor-turned-coop, but my husband said he can run the cords through a pvc pipe to keep the girls from pecking the cord. My coop isn't tall enough inside to use a heat lamp, but that seems like a good idea too if I had the headroom for it.
I keep going back to the heated water bowls idea. I think they will get messy, but I'll just have to keep on top of keeping them cleaned out.
Paula
Farmgirl Sister #3090
A Beehive is the ultimate Home Sweet Home
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Barnyard Buddies: Keeping chickens' water from freezing |
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Keeping chickens' water from freezing
