# water heaters



## Mini-M Ranch (Sep 22, 2009)

Just looking ahead to winter (actually, I am thinking I will like winter goating, despite the cold, because maybe all these blasted mosquitos will freeze to death   )  and wondering if you all use those water heaters you can get at farm supply places?

I guess they go under the water bucket like a little hot plate?  which means you would have to have  a metal bucket.  How would you keep the goats from chewing on the cords and such? 

If you aren't using a water heater, do you just carry hot water out to melt what is in the bucket a few times a day?  To carry hot water from the kitchen to the goat yard, I would need to carry the buckets either down a steep set of outdoor stairs, or carry them all the way around the house and into the back, which would make for a long trip, which would be fine, except I know I would splash half of the water onto myself before I ever got it around to the goat barn.


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## mully (Sep 22, 2009)

They make a submersible heater for larger tanks. Instead of a bucket heater you might want to go this route as carrying water in the winter is not much fun and the larger tank 40 gal + would give you enough water for at least a week


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## cmjust0 (Sep 22, 2009)

In years past, we've typically used big de-icers in 100gal stocktanks.  The best part is that in winter, stock tanks don't get scummy and turn green like they do around here in the summer..  

We don't have power in the barn (yet) so we generally just back the tanks up to a fence near the house and run an extension cord* from the house to the de-icer and position it such that they can't chew it..  

They have to come outside to get water, and they do.  Works for us.



* Extension cords are a no-no with de-icers, actually, but we don't really have a choice..  They give you like 6' of cord, so unless you just happen to have an outlet just where you need the water tank, you're hosed.  We use a 12ga extension cord plugged into an outlet close to the breaker box, then tape up the connections.  With the extension cord being the same guage as the house wire, I don't see how it can be much different from running it off a plug that's a greater distance from the breaker box.

I'm sure there's someone out there who can tell me why it's different, but...well, it's the best I can do.  What can I say?


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## freemotion (Sep 22, 2009)

How many goats do you have?  I forget.  I haul water once the hose freezes in the fall until it thaws out in the spring.  I have to fill buckets for four goats (they share right now) and one for the chickens and one for the turkeys.  For several years, I was also hauling for one horse.

I use 2.5 gallon plastic jugs.  You can buy them for gasoline and just mark them with the words, "Water Only!!!"  I fill them in the bathtub and set them by the back door, twice a day.  I've considered using a sled, but it really isn't that far for me to haul them, maybe 80' or so from garage door to barn gate.  I use warm water, which makes me feel better.

I personally know two farms that had fires due to bucket heaters, the drop-in type.  I lost a horse that was at one of those farms.  I won't use them.  At the other farm, fortunately, the cat woke the owner up and led her to the front door in the wee hours, odd behavior for the cat.  She opened the door and saw the flames shooting up many feet, with the water pouring out over the edge of the melting, burning plastic tub.  She got the fire out quickly with an extinquisher, and saved the horses.

I also know of people who used the one-piece heated buckets for many years with good success.  For my peace of mind, I need to haul the water.  I may change my mind when I get older!


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## ()relics (Sep 22, 2009)

I bought some plastic buckets with built in heaters last year. They have a short,6'(?), cord that is wired wrapped to prevent bite throughs. I plugged them into a GFCI just in case there was a problem.....They worked fine, actually only plugged them in when it was really cold...I winter inside so unless it is well below zero outside it doesn't get cold enough inside to freeze the water...but the plug-in buckets worked fine...but they are a little small, 2 gallon I think....Lots of refilling but I keep a larger stock tank filled until it freezes....After the cold was over they cleaned up nicely and are stored somewhere until next winter...


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## goat lady (Sep 22, 2009)

Sorry to say this, but I am in Florida and I don't think it would ever get that cold, but this is a good question. I have family in PA that just got sheep.  I am going to have to talk to them and see if they thought about this.


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## lupinfarm (Sep 22, 2009)

I haul buckets. We can't use a hose in the winter. My goats are near the house, their house will be fully insulated with R 22 insulation so I'm hoping it doesn't freeze too bad/too often. Their water will be in their house likely.


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## Mini-M Ranch (Sep 22, 2009)

Freemotion,

I only have four goats possibly six by winter (if we decide to get a buck and a kid that will be born sometime in October), and a flock of chickens to carry water for.

It wouldn't be bad to carry it out the back because I could put the buckets on the edge of the porch, walk down the ladder, and then reach up and get them.  I just couldn't figure out how to do that without freezing myself half to death with gallons of water splashed on my head!!  THe idea of a gas contain with a lid is GREAT!


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## lupinfarm (Sep 22, 2009)

I like to give the chickens and animals hot water. My chickens go crazy for hot water in the winter and it prevents it from freezing right away, plus it leaves them all toasty in their insides.


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## ksalvagno (Sep 22, 2009)

I bought a water bucket that has a heater built in. It is a smaller bucket for my Nigerians. 

I put bird bath heaters in my 5 gallon buckets for the alpacas.


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## currycomb (Sep 23, 2009)

we get some cold snaps here. first, drain all hoses after use, only freezes if water in them. when we need warm water for rabbits and other small animals, fill up 2liter plastic bottles, place in laundry basket, haul to bottom of deck steps and place on wagon or sled, depending on ground conditions. can make controled pouring, going into bowls and not on us or ground to freeze and make for dangerous walking. for larger animals, fill the big trough, place plywood over one end, and place heater under plywood, making the cord unaccesible to horses and goats. usually only have to fill big tank once a week, small animals 2xday


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## cmjust0 (Sep 23, 2009)

I throw a hose on the southern-exposed part of our roof during the winter.  Roof gets pretty hot in the sun, even on cold days....keeps the hose thawed.


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## Rence (Sep 23, 2009)

I use a submergeable heater for the cows. But for the goats, I carry out a bucket of hot water for each pen, twice a day, and also bust the ice on top of their regular water container. The nubians will drink it hot, they actually like it on really cold mornings, especially kids. It was gratifying to see shivering kids suck up that hot water and stop shivering.  You can even add molasses to it if you find some of them aren't drinking. My goats don't particularly like really really cold water. 

Now the submergible heater I have only keeps the water from freezing, it doesn't "warm" the water. But it worked out really well for the cows and I love it.

I don't know how experienced you are with goats, but the first year I had them, I worried about them a lot. For what it's worth, as long as you keep them in free choice supply of good hay, it will help keep them warm as it stimulates their rumen. Working rumen = warmer goat (or cow). Take care that if they're not drinking though, because they need water in order for the rumen to work.  And some won't drink water if it's ice cold.

If I could, I would also have a heater for them just for the convenience. But mine are too far away for that to be practical. I love the heater for the cows...but I have to run an outside electrical cord to the house and hope no one snags it. I don't have to use it too much where I live though.


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## freemotion (Sep 23, 2009)

You can make an insulated bucket pretty cheaply and easily with two buckets that fit inside each other, a ring of plywood to suspend the smaller inside the bigger, and packing peanuts to stuff between the two.  I also used Great Stuff to fill spaces and it ended up gluing it all together.  I used a muck bucket with a five gallon pail and it rarely froze, even in sub-zero weather, if I filled it with very warm water.  Too tall for my pygmy-x's, though, but worked great for my mare.


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## JoAnn (Oct 13, 2009)

Be careful with the heated 5 gallon horse water buckets! I had them...used them faithfully 1 1/2 seasons. Last winter I had one start on fire! Nearly lost my little barn and 2 horses. My husband saved the day! he saw the flickering light in the barn and realized quickly that it was a fire. He had just been down there and filled the buckets, then turned them on. He grabed a fire extinguser from the garage and was able to put it out. Only the cord, bucket and wall on which it was hung and the mat below were damaged. In just a few minutes all would have been lost!
I had the fire inspector invetigate. He determined that these buckets are a problem because they hang in the stall and we clean them daily, each time we are lifting them and flexing the cord at the base of the bucket to dump the remaining water and debris into the wheelbarrow. The constant flexing of the cord will cause an eventual break in the wires inside the rubber coating and that will eventually lead to a short AND a potential fire. 
I have pictures of the burnt bucket if anyone would like to see the damage, sent me a request message.
I am currently on the hunt for a safer solution to having reasonably warm water in the stalls for the show horses!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 13, 2009)

I use bird bath water heaters. I have had the same ones for years. I have 3 that I have had for at least 8 years now. I put them in 5 gallon buckets. My 5 gallon buckets are the ones you see at Home Depot and such.


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