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Water in Winter
QUADCH:
I\'ve used the heated bases before and then you set the rubber or plastic buckets or bowls on top of them, but they don\'t last for years and years, and the mice like to live in the nice heated condos they provide underneath. I was just digging through the old horse stuff to pull out the kind of water heater that you stick right in to the water. I don\'t like them though. I\'ve been bringing out hot water to top off the ice twice a day too. The birds huddle around the steaming bucket like its a campfire. They do seem to like warm water. I might try those heated bowls, but I\'m running out of electrical outlets! I was concerned about the moisture the hot water was causing. This morning I found dark tips on my Faverolle\'s combs already and its not even Christmas yet! I just can\'t seem to get single combed birds through the winter without frostbite damage to their combs, makes it hard to show old cocks. Makes me appreciate my Ameraucana even more.
dak:
:rolleyes: I just bought a flat panel wall mounted heater for my coop. I know... I\'m a softee.
Mike Gilbert:
--- Quote from: QUADCH --- I might try those heated bowls, but I\'m running out of electrical outlets! I was concerned about the moisture the hot water was causing. This morning I found dark tips on my Faverolle\'s combs already and its not even Christmas yet! I just can\'t seem to get single combs birds through the winter without frostbite damage to their combs, makes it hard to show old cocks. Makes me appreciate my Ameraucana even more.
--- End quote ---
Ameraucanas and Chanteclers. They can take the cold. My pullets are laying right through this cold snap, it does not faze them. And they will not be getting any heated water bowls. I had a Silver Laced Wyandotte bantam cockerel running with a group of Ameraucana and Chantecler extra males in the pole barn, both large and bantam. I think if I had not brought him in he may not have made it. Frozen wattles, portions of his rose comb shrunken and frozen, and he looked miserable. He\'s doing fine now. To be fair, there is one bantam SLW pullet laying, but only one out of three. Guess which will be the primary breeder?
John:
--- Quote --- I was concerned about the moisture the hot water was causing.
--- End quote ---
It sounds like you are watering them inside. Mine are outside. There is less mess by keeping the waterers outside and no problems with mice, so far. Some days we take water and just let it overflow the waterers and some days I shovel show on top that melts.
Once I setup birds in individual breeding coops, where they can\'t go out, I\'ll use the pint size plastic cups that hang on the coops for them. Since my barn isn\'t heated they will sometimes freeze like Mike\'s. Some days I use a knife to break thru the crust of ice and some days I pop the solid ice cubes out.
QUADCH:
--- Quote from: Mike Gilbert --- Ameraucanas and Chanteclers.
--- End quote ---
well, seeing as I have 15 \"surplus\" chicks coming from John next year, I just may have some Chant\'s in my barn next winter.
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