Topic of the Week - Keeping Water from Freezing

[tripletfeb]

I use the heated nipple buckets that have been mentioned previously. One is going on it's 7th winter here in northern Ohio. Another is going on it's 2nd winter. Both are holding up well

 

[paintedChix]

I haven't seen anyone post a "mini-green house".

Set up your fresh water in a black water tub. Take 2 windows, large enough to go over your tub - leaving enough room for chickens @ each end. Angle them together as an a-frame. If you use a small enough or smaller tub, it will allow chickens to move around the tub. Secure at the top. Hinging them makes easier to store after winter.

Allows water to stay thawed & acts as a wind block chickens in that area.

I haven't tried it yet - saw large windows on FB marketplace for $10 that reminded me of it...

Here's a link - UGH!! Website has lots of pop up ads. Hate that.

https://images.app.goo.gl/z9rrsxD4y8S13pr68

 

[paintedChix]

Also here is a YouTube link to an idea i hadn't seen before. I would need a way to keep chickens from scratching around it and filling it w/ run litter...

Water - freeze proof chicken water

 

[Devyn Nagy]

I use a heated dog dish. It works really well, the only drawback is that the chickens can get the water really dirty so I have to replace the water every day or two. Other than that I think it's an excellence solution.

 

[Love Donkeys]

Timely advice for anyone using a heated waterer .... make sure it's plugged in!! I went out the other day to find my water frozen. (Fortunately, I check several times a day on them in the cold.) Turns out I had unplugged the extension cord at the outlet over the summer.

Lol! The other day I couldn't figure out why I had no power to the coop. Found the problem, it was my husband. He had hooked the coop wire as he drove by with the manure spreader. He said it wasn't his fault, he can't help it if the coop wire decided to followed him down the road. Woops!

 

[Finnie]

Aaaand I just found out this bowl stopped working after only one winter of use. I think I may have fried it by keeping it in the greenhouse. SIGH...that is the downside of these things. They are expensive and don't last super long.

I know this doesn’t help after the fact, but if you buy these bowls at Tractor Supply and buy the extended warranty, then if they break before it expires, you just take it in to the store and they give you a new one. No hassle. Normally I don’t buy extended warranties for things, but I learned over the years that these bowls either last forever or they break right around the one year mark.*

The Farm Innovator one year warranty is useless. (You have to mail it to them at your expense. They will test it, and if they deem it still good, they will send it back to you, or repair or replace it if it fails their test. ) But with the TSC warranty, boom. You get a new one that day. The last time I returned one, the guy told me I should start the return through the Assurion website, because often they will tell people to just cut off the cord to take to the store, and that way you still get to keep the now unheated bowl.

*Because they often break just after the one year is up, I buy the two year warranty. It’s not a whole lot more and I have a lot higher chance of getting my replacement bowl.

 

[StinkyAcres]

I know this doesn’t help after the fact, but if you buy these bowls at Tractor Supply and buy the extended warranty, then if they break before it expires, you just take it in to the store and they give you a new one. No hassle. Normally I don’t buy extended warranties for things, but I learned over the years that these bowls either last forever or they break right around the one year mark.*

The Farm Innovator one year warranty is useless. (You have to mail it to them at your expense. They will test it, and if they deem it still good, they will send it back to you, or repair or replace it if it fails their test. ) But with the TSC warranty, boom. You get a new one that day. The last time I returned one, the guy told me I should start the return through the Assurion website, because often they will tell people to just cut off the cord to take to the store, and that way you still get to keep the now unheated bowl.

*Because they often break just after the one year is up, I buy the two year warranty. It’s not a whole lot more and I have a lot higher chance of getting my replacement bowl.

Thank you! I didn't know TSC had a policy like that. That is really nice!

 

[Bigregger]

View attachment 3987754

Keeping water from freezing is a constant challenge in winter. This week, I’d love to hear your tips and strategies for ensuring your flock has access to unfrozen water. For example:

• What types of water heaters or solutions have worked best for you?
• Do you use DIY methods to keep water thawed, like insulating containers or heated bases?
• How often do you check and change the water during the coldest parts of winter?
• What tips do you have for areas where power is not available?

Anything else you'd like to add?

For a complete list of our Topic of the Week threads, see here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/topic-of-the-week-thread-archive

 

[Finnie]

I use this one in the 12 qt. Size for my chickens and ducks. No, I have been using 2 gallon buckets as waterers for years and not once had a chicken end up in one.

https://www.statelinetack.com/item/heated-rubber-flat-back-bucket/E002891/View attachment 3996184

I wanted to post a link to a website where I found these buckets (in 18 quart size) on sale for what I think is a great price.

https://www.farmandfleet.com/produc...SItRpWDlSprVxSMrO0Hr5jhYbkqeHnfAaAmvMEALw_wcB

I’ve been trying to figure out what to use for my geese, because the 1.5 gallon heated dog bowls that I’ve been using for years really aren’t adequate for them. And the larger containers I have for them aren’t heated.

I was looking at these 18 quart buckets at my TSC, and they seem big enough for them to dunk their heads in, and not so big that they will try to climb inside. But TSC wanted $65 for one! At this Blaine’s website, I signed up for their rewards program and I was able to get 2 of them for $40 each, with free shipping!

Not sure how long they will be on sale, but I thought other people might like to know about it.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Ugh, Its 18 degrees now. Guess whos getting up super early to water the chickens?! Heated waterer or not, I gotta check the chooks when they wake up to bitter cold. I just got back inside from the henhouse where I stuffed a solo chicken in the nestbox with her sister. My gals are gettin' old.