Chicken waterers in the winter

Blackbird

Goat Whisperer
Joined
Mar 28, 2009
Messages
3,461
Reaction score
2
Points
154
Location
Many-snow-ta
The pump for our well even freezes in the winter, so we have to get water from the faucet in the basement. We load up those 1-2 gallon sized cat litter jugs, throw em on the sled and away we go. We always keep a twine string on one of the jugs, that way when they are empty we string the twine through the handles and carry them like fish on a line.
It's no fun chasing an empty jug in the wind across a field when it's -40!
 

Denim Deb

More Precious than Rubies
Joined
Oct 21, 2010
Messages
14,993
Reaction score
616
Points
417
SKR8PN said:
Denim Deb said:
And I don't have any way to have electric at my coop. So, this is easy. I just use an empty one gallon container to take water out w/me.
I have a loooong extension cord to get to the tractor!! :lol:
The only way I could get an extension cord to the chickens is to go thru the horse pasture! (They're at my friend's house, along w/my horses!) And, I don't think that would work very well.
 

Beekissed

Mountain Sage
Joined
Jul 11, 2008
Messages
12,774
Reaction score
3,934
Points
437
Location
Mountains of WV
Denim Deb said:
I have one of those black rubber dishes. It used to be what I used for the dogs' water, but since we no longer have a dog, I'll be using that for the chickens. I just flip it upside down, step on it, and the ice pops out. I then refill it. If it's really cold, I normally do this in the morning, and then again in the afternoon.
I have one of these as well, although mine is quite large. I use it all year round and find it to be the most convenient waterer I've found so far.
 

CJW

Power Conserver
Joined
Nov 7, 2010
Messages
88
Reaction score
0
Points
34
Location
North Western Montana
I am wondering about this too. My MIL wants to get me a heated dog waterer, but I am going to get nipples and use gravity since I want my girls to have fresh water all the time...(They still manage to poop in the water, even though there is barely a spot to stand on the thing!) Right now I use an old vinegar jug in a plant platter...but it is getting colder, and I will need to think of something.

Does anyone know if those nipples come in plastic...I don't want my ladies' tongue to stick to them! LOL! THAT would be a sight!
 

Denim Deb

More Precious than Rubies
Joined
Oct 21, 2010
Messages
14,993
Reaction score
616
Points
417
Beekissed said:
Denim Deb said:
I have one of those black rubber dishes. It used to be what I used for the dogs' water, but since we no longer have a dog, I'll be using that for the chickens. I just flip it upside down, step on it, and the ice pops out. I then refill it. If it's really cold, I normally do this in the morning, and then again in the afternoon.
I have one of these as well, although mine is quite large. I use it all year round and find it to be the most convenient waterer I've found so far.
I have a larger one, don't know where I got it. It holds about 15 gallons. I used to use it for the goats water, but they constantly pooped in it, and since I only have 2 goats, in the summer, it would get wigglers in it. So, I took it out. I now use it when I go camping w/Misty for water. It won't tip over like a 5 gallon bucket will, and holds much more water.
 

justusnak

Almost Self-Reliant
Joined
Jul 15, 2008
Messages
3,638
Reaction score
0
Points
168
Location
SE Indiana
Since we have electric in our coops....I made heaters for my water cans.
Take a cookie tin..I get them at good will....drill a hole in the side and insert one of those electric candle lights...wrap the hole in black tape...put the lid on...and set it on a few bricks, or a cinderblock...set the water on top, and there ya go! No more frozen water.
 

ohiofarmgirl

Sipping Bacon Martinis
Joined
Aug 18, 2009
Messages
5,488
Reaction score
0
Points
189
our high tech solution is.. a bucket. easy peasy. the black rubbery things that Free and the others use work too. but we just use regular buckets.

we just break up the water or turn it over. by the time we let everyone out the ice has fallen out of the bucket then we are ready to fill again. if the hoses are frozen we fill warmish bucket in the house - we need to do the for the goaties anyway so the hens get 'warm tea' also

CJW - take a pic when this happens:
I don't want my ladies' tongue to stick to them! LOL!
ha!

:)
 

Emerald

Lovin' The Homestead
Joined
Aug 23, 2010
Messages
882
Reaction score
3
Points
84
Location
Michigan
Denim Deb said:
I have one of those black rubber dishes. It used to be what I used for the dogs' water, but since we no longer have a dog, I'll be using that for the chickens. I just flip it upside down, step on it, and the ice pops out. I then refill it. If it's really cold, I normally do this in the morning, and then again in the afternoon.
A big +1 on the rubber dishes from the farm store- I have two of the gallon ones and they are a breeze to just pop the ice out of and refill- I used to put water inside so they could drink at night but the silly things just made a big mess with the water inside in the winter..They do seem fine with water only during the day.
Plus- if you buy out the extra squash(or grow tons) and freeze a few and just toss them one a week they tend to pick at the frozen squash and not each other in the winter!
 

BeccaOH

Almost Self-Reliant
Joined
Nov 3, 2008
Messages
1,225
Reaction score
0
Points
124
Location
east central Ohio
I use the rubber bowls for my dog and for extra water in the duck yard. But I rely on the 2-quart heated water bowls and the gallon buckets since I don't have time for chores except after work and can't refill more than once a day. I have one in each area, usually outside. If inside, I put a pan under it for drips. I do run a lot of extension cords. :D

My ducks/geese tend to keep their wading pool broken open until we get into a really hard cold snap. Then they just have to go without a bath for a while, though I've seen them try to get into the small bowl. :D

I've wanted to do a nipple system but I figure it will freeze in our winters like rabbit water bottles do. Have to switch the rabbits over to little crocks for winter.
 

Latest posts

Top