# Watering goats in winter without electricity



## lisafoleys (Jun 7, 2015)

I have three ND wethers less than a year old and I live in northern VT (first time with livestock). We don't have electricity in their barn and I am starting to worry about the watering situation. I was hoping taking warm water out in the morning and after work and at night might give them enough access to enough warm water to drink. I also read about making a mask with grain to get more liquid in them. I worry about urinary blockage especially since their amount of fresh water filled greens will be gone. I am trying to introduce veggie scraps, they are picky now, but may not be in February 
Does anyone have suggestions for keeping the buckets from freezing longer without electricity? 
Also should I start giving these boys Ammonium Chloride as prevention for crystals? 
Thanks,
Lisa


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## Bansil (Jul 23, 2015)

tagged for updates..face same thing


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## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

I have a friend here in Maine that raises a fairly large herd of Nigerians. She has electricity in the barn, but does not use electric buckets or troughs. She has 2 sets of water buckets. She fills one set with hot tap water and hauls them out to the goats, then she brings the frozen/cold buckets in to melt by her wood stove. Later she swaps them out again. You really don't have to swap them more than at chore time unless the temps are below 25ºF. Also, they will freeze slower if they are in the sunshine or if they are in a sheltered spot in the barn.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

You can use larger rubber buckets, pack with straw then set the normal size bucket inside that.
Or old tires packed with straw.


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## FloatnRockRanch (Feb 7, 2015)

nancy d said:


> You can use larger rubber buckets, pack with straw then set the normal size bucket inside that.
> Or old tires packed with straw.


That is a great idea!


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Other than hot water being a treat, it actually freezes faster than cool water! 
(There is a scientific explanation) It sure sounds opposite than what you would think!

You can feed the ammonium chloride, but they still need as much water as they will drink.
Mine actually drink more in the winter. I think they just like watching me carry buckets as 
opposed to using the hose!


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

I live in Maine and will not have electricity in my barn unless I am in the barn. I have 3 sets of 5 gallon buckets for the goats. I fill one set in the kitchen and haul them down to the barn in the morning. The 2nd I fill and set by the wood stove for early afternoon (2nd set of chores). When I bring set 2 down, I return with the frozen buckets #1 and set them around the wood stove. I fill set #3 and set them near the wood stove for the water to warm up. During 3rd/night chores I bring set 3 to the barn and replace set #2. Set #2 joins set #1 around the stove. I have the same routine for the horses and the dog yard. My kitchen is generally full of buckets.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

If you know a welder... Cut a metal barrel in half to make a round steel trough. On the back inside against the side, weld in a piece of stove pipe that is 3 or 4 inches longer than the trough is tall. Seal it well so that water won't get in. So now you have a round trough with a hollow pipe sticking up through the water. Fill with water, put 4 or 5 pieces of lit charcoal in the pipe. The water keeps the pipe cool and the warm pipe keeps the water thawed out.


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## fivemoremiles (Jan 19, 2010)

I have a pond that I keep open with a solar powered aerator. the only time I pack water is when it has been below 0 for an extended time.
no pond you can do the same thing with a coil of pipe berried in the ground and both ends attached to your water trough. the aerator keeps the water moving through the pipe and warm. you only need to fill the trough.


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## CritterCarnival (Sep 18, 2013)

Goats Rock said:


> Other than hot water being a treat, *it actually freezes faster than cool water! *
> (There is a scientific explanation) It sure sounds opposite than what you would think!


This is "kind of" correct, but actually incorrect. Hot water only freezes faster if it is boiling hot. The boiling action realigns the molecules in a way that causes them to freeze faster...warm water doesn't freeze any faster than cool water.


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## lisafoleys (Jun 7, 2015)

*Thank you for teh great suggestions*

These were all really good ideas and it is good to know the goats will manage with just me taking buckets of water out to them 2-3 times a day. I had heard before having goats that hot water freezes faster than cold.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Mine get warm water 2 times a day...they drink it while I stand there...then I take it back. I also have seen them eat snow. I have not had any problems doing this. I do once in the morning and once in the evening.


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## lovinglife (Jun 6, 2013)

I found this interesting and maybe someday I will give it a try..

http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/WaterHeating/SteveTank/SteveTank.htm


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Using black colored tubs/buckets placed in the sunlight really can make a huge difference! But because I work a full time job, I just prefer the peace of mind of running extension cords to power heated buckets. They consume a LOT of water when eating mostly hay.


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## lisafoleys (Jun 7, 2015)

I to work full time, but I have quite a distance to the barn form the house to run a cord. I was also thinking about using a bigger bucket and creating an inner sleeve of sorts and filling the in between chamber with insulation of some sort and making sure the top is covered and the smaller flexible black bucket would fit inside.
Thanks!


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