A few weeks ago, I posed a question to the community of readers at Community Chickens. I asked you to share your creative solutions for keeping the fresh water flowing in your coops during the coldest months of the year.
You delivered and shared an entire collection of ideas from the simple to complex. The simplest solution offered was sent by multiple readers and involved adding molasses to the water. Adding sugar alters the freezing point of water and several of you mentioned learning this trick from farmers with decades of on the job experience.
I already know that then hens at 1840 Farm love molasses. In fact, one of their favorite breakfast treats is a bowl of steaming oatmeal mixed with bananas and molasses. I loved this uncomplicated approach and intend to put it to the test in my coop during the cold weather we will be experiencing here in New England during the next few weeks.
In case this modest solution doesn’t prevent the water in our coop from freezing, I might move on to another reader supplied solution. In case you’re looking for ways to combat freezing water in your coop, I thought that I would share a few of the ideas submitted by our readers.
I have not tested any of these ideas here at 1840 Farm, so I cannot offer a personal review of their performance. Instead, I will proudly share a sampling of reader supplied ideas in their own words.
Laurie – “We use a 5 gal.metal waterer. You can buy a heated base to set your waterer on, which will keep the water on the bottom from freezing, then hang a heat lamp above the waterer to keep the rest from freezing. It will help keep your chickens warmer also. This has worked great for us!”
Jeri – “I go to the used stores and buy used crockpots, turn them on low, and plug them in to a timer. I can buy these for next to nothing and they out last heated pet bowls…just set them on some brick or something that can take the heat. I also set them inside the coop, our -40 degree weather is hard on anything!”Shannon – “We have run two strings of rope lights (like those for Christmas) in a zig-zag pattern just lying on the floor of the coop, and then we measured, cut, and placed a section of corrugated plastic on top of them. We have wood chips for the chickens to lie in, but an empty spot for the water bowl. (we just use a dog bowl in the winter and keep filling it) So far, in our North Dakota winter, it has not frozen. The last few days have been 13-20 degrees.”
Betsy – “I use a standard bird bath heater to keep my water flowing. I recently installed one in my new nipple/bucket waterer, and it works great. All this is assuming you have access to electricity. I have run an outdoor extension cord if necessary.”
John – “I use one of the hard rubber water bowls for my chickens; inexpensive and available at most feed stores. Then I built a plywood box approximately 12″ x 12″ x 12″. You can adjust the size of the box to fit the bowl. Cut out a hole on the top of the box large enough to PARTIALLY insert the bowl into. The top of the bowl has a “rim” on it so it wont slip through, unless you’ve cut the hole too big!. I’ve attached an ordinary incandescent “shop light/under-the-hood light” into the bottom of the box. The power cord is allowed to come out from the bottom side of the box. These lights are also very inexpensive and are available at Home Centers or AutoParts stores. I use a 15W compact fluorescent lamp to keep the water in the bowl from freezing. You may have to adjust the wattage of your lamp, depending on the weather in your area. I plug it in and leave it on all winter. I refill the water bowl daily. The “box” also keeps the water bowl off of the ground, and it doesn’t collect as much “debris” as it would if left on the ground. The bowl is easy to remove for cleaning.”Samantha – “My solution to keeping my chickens’ water unfrozen is very simple. I have 4 chicken nipples in each 5 gallon bucket. I purchased a heating element at Tractor Supply designed for use in buckets. The set-up does require access to electricity but works well for us. Since the element turns itself on and off depending on the temperature, I don’t think it uses a terrible amount of energy.”
Thank you to all the readers who took the time to share their creative ideas. If you have a story to share about your chicken keeping experience, I hope that you will share your story with me using the form on my blog. I might just choose to share your story with the Community Chickens readers in a future post!
19 Comments
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I am also looking for non-electric solutions.I have heated rocks on the wood stove over night and put them in the galvinized waterer in morn with fresh water. To heat my ark, I heat bricks all day long on wood stove and place them in old bread pans under the roost at night.(Lots of work carrying heavy buckets out to the chickens) I also cover the ark with old comforters and a waterproof tarp to keep out the cold wind.
I love the heated rock idea and will try it with my chickens. I use a black rubber bucket because the water often freezes solid and I can break it out without breaking the bucket! A rock in the morning should help to keep the water warm all day. I may also try this idea with my horses water – a couple of big rocks…
How much solar power is needed to power a electric water heater base?
Too much! On impulse I bought a Harbor Freight 45 watt solar setup and a 30 amp battery that went with it. It couldn’t even keep a 5 watt bulb going all day this past December which was the cloudiest I recall. I added another 45 watt set of panels, reduced the light to 3 hours in the morning and the water can be kept from freezing when the temp doesn’t get much below freezing, but not in the ‘teens. A friend was smarter and did calculations that convinced him that it’s unworkable. When I add water, I add very hot water so the 12V heater doesn’t have to work too much, so the system is kinda working, but if I have to go out of town I’ll be running an extension cord from the house for reliable 110 volt heating.
my husband made a cookie tin waterer heater and it is working famously ! it is sitting in the snow (!) by our community feeder and throws enough heat that a refill container can sit next to it ( we use those 20 lb cat litter containers). it can sit there all day and the bowl can be refilled at night if needed….and the extra water is not frozen…a little icy, but not solid by any means. the water in the bowl is nice and liquid…thanks for that tip !
I use small playmate coolers, I bring them in at night and fill them with luke warm water in the morning. The water keeps unfrozen till almost dusk and its currently 24 degrees F.
I use pans for my water, this year I am trying bird bath heaters. So far so good, the water is outside, we have had 7 inches of snow and some temps in the teens here in Ohio and so far so good.
How much Molasses is enough to prevent freezing but not too high to cause problems (laxative effect, etc.) for the chickens?
I need electricity free/off the grid solutions…
Thanks for sharing/publishing all the awesome information! Amy
Thanks for sharing a few new great ideas!
I use a one gallon size heated dog bowl. To keep the water clean I inverted a five gallon plastic storage bucket over the top. A large hole saw was used to make a hole at the water line. I have used this for two years now and have never had a dropping in the water. I check the water line each day I go out to the coop and refill with a gallon water bottle from the house. You can make a drill hole in the top of the now inverted bucket and attach a rope handle for easy lift off. I found this system so easy I use it in the summer as well with and unheated dog bowl.
We have keep aquarium fish for years and had an extra submersible heater. This small heater has kept the bucket, with nipples, flowing all last winter and this year too.
Just to be clear, I intend to use a scant amount of molasses, not enough to cause a laxative effect. Feeding too many fresh greens can also have a laxative effect. As with everything, moderation is key. Too much of anything can have negative implications. A small amount of molasses provides extra potassium and my hens love the taste.
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How much molasses per gallon are you adding? This might work for me. Enjoy your column very much – thanks!
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also saw one on Pinterest, using an old cookie tin. A hole was drilled out the side for electric cord, plain old 40-watt bulb put inside tin. set waterer on top.
I actually mentioned the cookie tin water heater to Jennifer a few weeks ago. It’s very simple to make and I have DIY instructions to make it on my blog here: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/11/make-cookie-tin-waterer-heater-under-10.html Of course, not everyone has electricity to their coop, so this won’t work for some.
I would be hesitant to use molasses in my chickens’ water on a regular basis in freezing temperatures due to the laxative effect of molasses on chickens’ digestive systems.