# Watering HELP!



## J-TRanch (Jan 31, 2014)

GRRR....second plastic water bowl my pigs have stepped on and broke.. I dump out all waters at night..then fill up in the mornings and throughout the day.. well--I got out there a little late this evening and the dang plastic bowl was frozen and cracked. I had stainless steel...but they tore that all to hell also.. what kind of troughs or buckets do you use to water?

Unfortunately they are out of reach for water heaters.


----------



## HerdQueen (Oct 15, 2012)

We use rubber buckets


----------



## J-TRanch (Jan 31, 2014)

I think I am going to go to the supply store and buy some. 

That was my next move... But they chew on them for some reason 


Owner/operator
J-T Ranch Dairy Goats
NW KS


----------



## HerdQueen (Oct 15, 2012)

Are their teeth cut?


----------



## HerdQueen (Oct 15, 2012)

I should say rubber tubs


----------



## J-TRanch (Jan 31, 2014)

Two of them are. My little guy I pan fed soo his aren't. 


Owner/operator
J-T Ranch Dairy Goats
NW KS


----------



## HerdQueen (Oct 15, 2012)

My tubs have held up pretty good.


----------



## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

We used the heavy black rubber tubs from Orschelns. They held up really well with our pigs. Easy to knock the icy water out of too....just turn em over and stomp! LOL


----------



## J-TRanch (Jan 31, 2014)

Well shoot. I'll just go tomorrow and buy some. Thank you for replying. 


Owner/operator
J-T Ranch Dairy Goats
NW KS


----------



## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

The plastic gets super brittle in this kind of cold and breaks way easier. What about heated dog bowls? That way the water wouldn't freeze


----------



## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

These are mini pigs? right? The large heated dog bowls should work for them...


----------



## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Something like this: http://www.orschelnfarmhome.com/premium-heated-pet-bowl/ctl16754/cp58428/si5182756/cl1/


----------



## J-TRanch (Jan 31, 2014)

Is there cordless ones out there? 
I guess I haven't looked. I just had a old plastic bowl that I would refill multiple times a day so it didn't freeze ... The rubber ones are pretty expensive ... I didn't want to go buy more after they chewed on the last one. But I will give it another try. Maybe the chewing was just a fluke 


Owner/operator
J-T Ranch Dairy Goats
NW KS


----------



## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

I don't think they have cordless. I didn't even think about the cords and them possibly chewing on those. That won't work very well.


----------



## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Pretty hard to destroy those rubber tubs. I would give those a shot. I'm also wondering, you say you dump the water out at night and then refill in the morning? So they don't have water at night? If not, then you really should change that. That might be the reason they're chewing on the troughs. They might be trying to tell you that they're thirsty. Water should never be withheld.


----------



## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

I agree I have had some of those rubber tubs for about 15 years.


----------



## J-TRanch (Jan 31, 2014)

To keep from freezing. We haven't bought new tank heaters for the goats either. 

Within a hour and a half the water is always frozen. 

So far this week I check multiple times a day- and refill/break ice when needed then dump at night since they're sleeping at night. 

At the crack of dawn I get up and Refill all waters again. 


Owner/operator
J-T Ranch Dairy Goats
NW KS


----------



## J-TRanch (Jan 31, 2014)

I'm wondering if those rubber tubs would be good for the goats too? 

If we don't get tank heaters. 

Maybe it wouldn't freeze as fast as the galvanized metal ones?


Owner/operator
J-T Ranch Dairy Goats
NW KS


----------



## glndg (Feb 8, 2013)

Oh, my! I don't know how you do it. I have to hand it to you and all the others out there dealing with the terribly cold weather. Hang in there.


----------



## J-TRanch (Jan 31, 2014)

The last few days has been around 18 for the high (not sure what it was today exact) then tomorrow it's supposed to get down to 2 at night... Right now it's 12 degrees. 

Wind chill is a killer here though. 


Owner/operator
J-T Ranch Dairy Goats
NW KS


----------



## J-TRanch (Jan 31, 2014)

Last year even with tank heaters there was thin layers of ice always in troughs :/ 

Argh. 




Owner/operator
J-T Ranch Dairy Goats
NW KS


----------



## Naunnie (Jul 4, 2014)

Well I don't have pigs but I seem to have a lot of time on my hands. Nursing broken ribs. Anyways, googled how to water pigs in the winter and came up with this. http://thechickncoop.blogspot.com/2013/02/making-pig-waterer-with-heater.html

For the rubber tubs.....if you can place them in a larger container and insulate it...it might not freeze as quick. A box with a lid, with a hole, would allow for insulation around tub, they could still drink from the hole and not be able to chew on the tub. IDK....just thinking out loud. 

My winters don't get as cold as yours but I'm gonna try this for the goats and ducks....


----------



## J-TRanch (Jan 31, 2014)

Naunnie said:


> Well I don't have pigs but I seem to have a lot of time on my hands. Nursing broken ribs. Anyways, googled how to water pigs in the winter and came up with this. http://thechickncoop.blogspot.com/2013/02/making-pig-waterer-with-heater.html
> 
> For the rubber tubs.....if you can place them in a larger container and insulate it...it might not freeze as quick. A box with a lid, with a hole, would allow for insulation around tub, they could still drink from the hole and not be able to chew on the tub. IDK....just thinking out loud.
> 
> My winters don't get as cold as yours but I'm gonna try this for the goats and ducks....


I will read more on it! Thanks for the idea!

Owner/operator
J-T Ranch Dairy Goats
NW KS


----------



## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

ACV is suppose to help keep it from freezing. I don't think it will help much in this cold tho. Can you solid wire the heated bowl to a corner of the fence or somewhere you could "guarantee"(I know...there are no guarantees) that the pigs cannot get to the cord? 

Ok, a more expensive option. Get one of those tanks that has the pig waterer in the bottom. I can't find one now! I'll keep looking for a picture. But it has the regular stock tank and then has a nipple or a little trough at the bottom for pigs too. I've seen them. You could fill that up and put a tank heater in it and keep them in water without having to keep filling it all the time. And they couldn't tear it up. If you plan on keeping pigs all the time....this would be a good option.


----------



## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Ok, Finally! Found a couple images. The first is a homemade one that you could put the tank heater in too! The 2nd is the tank I was looking for. Or at least I hope that's the order they load and if not you should be able to figure out which is which. LOL


----------



## takethelead (Dec 18, 2013)

I know this sounds crazy but this is what my grandfather in law does. He get the big rubber tub and makes a box with a lid and a big cut out spot for them to drink at and then on either side he plugs in a heater for a fish tank. The top keeps the heaters covered so they can't chew on them. It helps a lot for him because he can't go out there busting ice everyday. He uses it for all his animals.


----------



## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

J-TRanch said:


> Last year even with tank heaters there was thin layers of ice always in troughs :/
> 
> Argh.
> 
> ...


Your tank heaters aren't big enough for your tanks then. We never have ice on ours if there is a tank heater in there. But we make sure to buy the bigger ones that are also going to use WAY more energy and need larger circuits! Make sure you didn't accidentally pick up a bucket heater (I almost did that and then realized what I was picking up!) because they DO look the same and they have them sitting right there with the tank heaters! You can also put a ball in the tank....like an old basketball. Supposedly....not going to guarantee anything....the ball will "bounce" in the water and keep it from forming ice on the top. If you try that and it really works....let us know. LOL


----------



## J-TRanch (Jan 31, 2014)

I may try that today lol. Going to town tonight. Great ideas everybody! Thanks a lot. 

Love that metal pig waterer 


Owner/operator
J-T Ranch Dairy Goats
NW KS


----------



## J-TRanch (Jan 31, 2014)

Our tank heaters were old and this year do not work. What watt do you get ? 

I'm on the edge on getting heaters or just dumping water and getting rubber tubs....?


Owner/operator
J-T Ranch Dairy Goats
NW KS


----------



## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Ummm...watt....LOL I have no clue! If they were old that can cause the issue too. We've had several that way and had to replace them. The ones I got were $42 (I think) at Orscheln's. All they had were the bucket heaters which only heat about 5 gallons....kinda worthless. Or the combination floating/sinking. This is the only one the Colby store had: 
http://www.orschelnfarmhome.com/Ors...efxusdx57865##1##j&query=tank+heaters&offset=
Also, if you go with either of those waterer ideas that I posted make sure you get the SINKING heater and not the floating ones and sink them right next to the nipples so the nipples don't freeze.


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I don't know how many animals you have, but I use 5 gallon buckets with bird bath heaters in them. But the water is also in my barn.


----------



## ilovegoats (Nov 27, 2013)

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/..._k0_g3IkWGRhXFqEN1XzDPBHSSr4j1VNdz28v3EkFRj9r
My brother has pigs and he has a 5 gallon bucket and is hanging from one of the t-posts and it goes over the hog panel and the metal pig drinking thing it screwed into the bucket. It works great. We have 2 for our 5 pigs and to keep it from freezing, at our local farm supply store, they sell heaters that you put in buckets and we have an extension cord to plug it in and keep it warm. If you want, i can take a picture of it and post it on here. We dont have the heater in yet because it stopped working yesterday but we are getting a new one today. Rubber bowls work fine too, but the pigs always knock them over


----------



## J-TRanch (Jan 31, 2014)

kccjer said:


> Ummm...watt....LOL I have no clue! If they were old that can cause the issue too. We've had several that way and had to replace them. The ones I got were $42 (I think) at Orscheln's. All they had were the bucket heaters which only heat about 5 gallons....kinda worthless. Or the combination floating/sinking. This is the only one the Colby store had:
> http://www.orschelnfarmhome.com/Ors...efxusdx57865##1##j&query=tank+heaters&offset=
> Also, if you go with either of those waterer ideas that I posted make sure you get the SINKING heater and not the floating ones and sink them right next to the nipples so the nipples don't freeze.


Thanks a lot I appreciate it! Probably won't do that idea right now because of the cost..but I definitely will next year!

Good advice. Thanks


----------



## J-TRanch (Jan 31, 2014)

ilovegoats said:


> https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/..._k0_g3IkWGRhXFqEN1XzDPBHSSr4j1VNdz28v3EkFRj9r
> My brother has pigs and he has a 5 gallon bucket and is hanging from one of the t-posts and it goes over the hog panel and the metal pig drinking thing it screwed into the bucket. It works great. We have 2 for our 5 pigs and to keep it from freezing, at our local farm supply store, they sell heaters that you put in buckets and we have an extension cord to plug it in and keep it warm. If you want, i can take a picture of it and post it on here. We dont have the heater in yet because it stopped working yesterday but we are getting a new one today. Rubber bowls work fine too, but the pigs always knock them over


I think I am going to do the idea Carmen posted next year, but you can post a picture too! I know.. dang pigs always knock everything over... I think I will tie the bucket to the fence so they cannot do that.


----------

