Permanent WATER to coop. Now how do I protect it from freezing???

[UtahLisa]

I have had contractors here getting water to both chicken coops as well as the surrounding deck. My plans included spigots to both run and coop area. My only concern now is keeping the pipes from freezing. The tubing used is pex. I have done a lot of research and they maintain the best results for anti-freezing. Also, the pipes are 3 feet down in the soil until they come up from the ground. One is under my deck which exposes the pipe 20 inches to the elements. The pipes have heat coil wrapping around them as well as insulation tubing. The interior of the run will also have the same. The coops will have insulation and wall paneling to prevent direct exposure.

So, what are your suggestions? Have I covered all the bases? I'm going to have a water reservoir holding the water with a float pump to add more directing from the plumbing. The reservoir will have a cattle water heater (inside a ceramic pot to eliminate melting of plastic) and there will be a pump circulating the water to and from the PVC watering unit that has watering nipple/cups. Beneath each run of PVC will be a rain gutter to catch any drippage.

I think I have covered all the bases but I'm a newbie at this so I'm keeping my fingers crossed with this system. I have seen several YouTube videos and posts here using this system and it seems to have the best success.

My question to you is will the Poly (Plastic Pex) system 3/4 and 1/2 hold up with my design or is there something more you can suggest?

I have attached pictures but not too sure if they will be helpful since I'm not done.

Note: The water source is coming from my house. The coop is 35 feet away. The tubing will have heat tape and insulation tubing. There are multiple shut offs around the connections. The contractors putting in the water put the water through the floor in the middle of my coop (angry face) but it's going to be moved to the side to allow easy cleaning of sand.

Unique design: I live on the side of a mountain in Utah. I built one of my coop/run on an elevated deck specifically designed just for the this. The coop/run sits on 3/4 ply that has thick linoleum sealing it, the sand away from the wood. The exterior has been sealed with roof membrane sealant to prevent water from trickling into the run or coop area. I feel it's pretty water tight. I'll let you know later. I know several people say never put on a coop on a deck but this is not deck boards this is lamanent 3/4 boarding that is sealed (fingers crossed).

Anyway, under the run the water will come up from the ground and enter the run area. Keep in mind that there is also a 20" space under that deck that the tubing is exposed directly to the elements (with heating tape and insulation tubing). That is the part that makes me the most nervous for potential freezing. One of the pictures shows the tubing (in the middle of my run - again angry face) but it'll be moved closer to the wall.

There are some additional water lines running around my window area and towards the nesting boxes but those are to an exterior sink and to a spigot on the outside of the coop. Those are shut off during winter months and will be drained. They will not be running during potential freezing times.

So...go ahead...suggestions are appreciated.

 

[R2elk]

The standard for running water lines is to place them deep enough that they will be below the frost line. Here we bury our water lines 6' deep. If your frost line is less than 3', your pipes will be fine. If the frost line is deeper than 3' you are probably going to have problems.

I ran water to my coop by burying 3/4" black poly pipe 6' deep and terminated it with a 6' bury Frost Proof hydrant. They come in various bury depths.

 

[Folly's place]

I also have a buried water line to the coop, with a frost-free hydrant. Love it!
I fill the metal waterers from the hydrant right outside of the coop, and take them into the coop, setting them on the metal heat plates.
I'm not convinced that all that tubing will stay unfrozen in winter. It likely would not be okay here in southern Michigan.
Mary

 

[R2elk]

I also have a buried water line to the coop, with a frost-free hydrant. Love it!
I fill the metal waterers from the hydrant right outside of the coop, and take them into the coop, setting them on the metal heat plates.
I'm not convinced that all that tubing will stay unfrozen in winter. It likely would not be okay here in southern Michigan.
Mary

I put my frost free hydrant right in the middle of the coop before I built the coop.

 

[imnukensc]

If your heat tape is properly electrified and your other piping is buried below the frost line, you shouldn't have any freezing problems.

 

[Kat2141]

Question: I see red pipes and blue pipes... are they Hot and Cold water?

Recommendation: Have outlets in the coop and at least one outside near where the pipes come up out of the ground, if possible. That way IF anything freezes, you could plug a hair dryer in pretty easy to heat your pipes. If they have heat tape and insulation, you may not have any problems but IF you do, the outlets would be handy. I keep an old hair dryer in the barn all of the time for "just in case" - that way I won't burn out my good one if I should need to thaw pipes

 

[UtahLisa]

Question: I see red pipes and blue pipes... are they Hot and Cold water?

Recommendation: Have outlets in the coop and at least one outside near where the pipes come up out of the ground, if possible. That way IF anything freezes, you could plug a hair dryer in pretty easy to heat your pipes. If they have heat tape and insulation, you may not have any problems but IF you do, the outlets would be handy. I keep an old hair dryer in the barn all of the time for "just in case" - that way I won't burn out my good one if I should need to thaw pipes

Thanks for the suggestions, but the pipes actually have electrical insulation wrap on them that automatically plug into the outlets that they were designated for. Plus they will have the foam insulation wrapped around that. The ones in the coop will have insulation in the wall and paneled partially.

Hopefully, that works for the whole set up. The only real concern I have is the pipes under my coop that are exposed for about 18" - 2'. This is wrapped and electric heated but again...it's just that it's exposed to the air and elements (sort of - covered roof with the floor of the coop but not sides). I guess we'll just have to wait and see how it all works out.

 

[R2elk]

Thanks for the suggestions, but the pipes actually have electrical insulation wrap on them that automatically plug into the outlets that they were designated for. Plus they will have the foam insulation wrapped around that. The ones in the coop will have insulation in the wall and paneled partially.

Hopefully, that works for the whole set up. The only real concern I have is the pipes under my coop that are exposed for about 18" - 2'. This is wrapped and electric heated but again...it's just that it's exposed to the air and elements (sort of - covered roof with the floor of the coop but not sides). I guess we'll just have to wait and see how it all works out.

The problem with this is where the sensors are located that cause the heat to turn on. If the sensors are located where it is cold, fine but if they are located where the temperature is warmer than where the lines are, they may not turn on the heat when it is needed.

 

[UtahLisa]

Question: I see red pipes and blue pipes... are they Hot and Cold water?

Recommendation: Have outlets in the coop and at least one outside near where the pipes come up out of the ground, if possible. That way IF anything freezes, you could plug a hair dryer in pretty easy to heat your pipes. If they have heat tape and insulation, you may not have any problems but IF you do, the outlets would be handy. I keep an old hair dryer in the barn all of the time for "just in case" - that way I won't burn out my good one if I should need to thaw pipes

Yes, there is hot going in during the warmer months. I have a small water heater I'll be using that is under the coop in concrete box with access door. It is electric and only is about 1 1/2 foot tall. It's really small and only for a sink on the other side of my coop (washing hands and stuff). During the winter months it will be turned off and those lines and tank will be drained. The have a drain valve installed for this purpose.

I haven't decided the best system for year round water for the girls yet. I have seen reservoirs used with pumps, floats and heaters...but I was thinking more of a pressurized system straight from the line that is simply a heated system due to the electrical insulation. I don't think it will get too cold as long as it's going to work like I hope. if that is the case I'll run a PSI reducer and see if I can get a drip system of sorts to work that is also heated directly to the nipples. I haven't gotten that far. If you have any suggestions it would be appreciated.

THANKS in advance.

 

[UtahLisa]

If your heat tape is properly electrified and your other piping is buried below the frost line, you shouldn't have any freezing problems.

It is...everyone here has to bury at least 3 feet deep and that's below. All lines were beneath that except for the pipes that fun vertically to the surface but again those are wrapped with heated tape and insulated. I hope it works (fingers crossed).