# Waterer's In the Loft



## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

Hello all,
I was just wondering how everyone controls the water from freezing in the loft.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

StoN3d said:


> Hello all,
> I was just wondering how everyone controls the water from freezing in the loft.


I make about a million trips a day to thaw out water when it gets cold enough. 
Luckily, we only have a hand full of days that stay cold enough ALL DAY to keep the water frozen. My frozen water is mostly over night.
You can build a box with a light bulb inside to keep the water from freezing.
Everett built one for a club member. With you being up north, you may need to build it like the one we had when we were in MI. A box with a hole cut in the top just big enough for the bottom of the waterer with a 25 watt light bulb underneath. You don't want the water to be warm........just not frozen.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I will take up the water on those hard freeze nights and refill in the am and then trade them again if I have to for the pm feeding...get double sets so you can trade them out, or you can buy electric heaters that the drinker sit on, they are at the pigeon supply sites, look under drinkers or founts or waterfounts . Im jsut too cheap to buy some...


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

Lovebirds said:


> I make about a million trips a day to thaw out water when it gets cold enough.
> Luckily, we only have a hand full of days that stay cold enough ALL DAY to keep the water frozen. My frozen water is mostly over night.
> You can build a box with a light bulb inside to keep the water from freezing.
> Everett built one for a club member. With you being up north, you may need to build it like the one we had when we were in MI. A box with a hole cut in the top just big enough for the bottom of the waterer with a 25 watt light bulb underneath. You don't want the water to be warm........just not frozen.


do you have any pics of the heater?
I would like to build one as my budget is getting tighter with everything I still have left to get for the birds.
Its not much that aI have to get still but money just doesnt stretch as far as it used to


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

O and another thing is I leave for work at 7:50 am and dont get home until 5:30 pm well after its been dark for a few.
I cant make trips to the loft during the day to make sure they have thawed water 
Will that be a huge problem during breeding?


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

StoN3d said:


> do you have any pics of the heater?
> I would like to build one as my budget is getting tighter with everything I still have left to get for the birds.
> Its not much that aI have to get still but money just doesnt stretch as far as it used to


I'll have to look and see if I can find pictures........not sure.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

StoN3d said:


> O and another thing is I leave for work at 7:50 am and dont get home until 5:30 pm well after its been dark for a few.
> I cant make trips to the loft during the day to make sure they have thawed water
> Will that be a huge problem during breeding?


Well, honestly, yea.........but you can get a heater for the water set up and you'll be fine. The breeders drink a lot of water pumping the babies. I'll look for those pics......


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

here is a cheap one, it may just be easier to buy this http://www.foyspigeonsupplies.com/catalog/248.html


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

spirit wings said:


> here is a cheap one, it may just be easier to buy this http://www.foyspigeonsupplies.com/catalog/248.html


Thank you very much for the link!
I will have to wait until this friday to buy it.
Im flat broke atm :'(


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

What I am going to do this year is to empty the waterers in the evening, then bring fresh water in pitchers in the AM. Our days for the most part are above freezing. I will not fill up the upper part of the waterers, just the bottoms. I will wash the waterers twice a week. When babies arrive I will probably bring them in nightly. A pain, but hey its winter. 

Randy


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

hillfamilyloft said:


> What I am going to do this year is to empty the waterers in the evening, then bring fresh water in pitchers in the AM. Our days for the most part are above freezing. I will not fill up the upper part of the waterers, just the bottoms. I will wash the waterers twice a week. When babies arrive I will probably bring them in nightly. A pain, but hey its winter.
> 
> Randy


good tip...


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## ace in the hole (Nov 27, 2007)

spirit wings said:


> here is a cheap one, it may just be easier to buy this http://www.foyspigeonsupplies.com/catalog/248.html



I just orderd two of these heaters for the new breeding loft. I will post back here in February when the wind chill is 30 below and let you know how well they work! 

Ace


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## ace in the hole (Nov 27, 2007)

ace in the hole said:


> I just orderd two of these heaters for the new breeding loft. I will post back here in February when the wind chill is 30 below and let you know how well they work!
> 
> Ace


Well, It was maybe -5 last night and both the waterers were frozen. Just a heads up for you other northern fools. If you are in an area were it wont get below the teens you will probably be ok with these 7" heaters.

Ace


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

I ordered two myself and checked the water this morning and it wasnt frozen.
Tomorrow and Friday will be the test though
its supposed to get COOOOOOOOOLD those two days here.
Ill report back and let you guys know if mine froze


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

We made our own heaters out of the bottom tray from a metal chicken feeder, some stuff in the inside to insulate it, and a light bulb. It was just good enough to keep it unfrozen.
Didn't help our individual cage drinkers though  THOSE I have to refill everyday when it gets real cold. I've learned to keep them only half filled up so when they freeze, it doesn't take as long to thaw out, and it doesn't bust the plastic.


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## Pigeon lower (Oct 23, 2007)

Its -25 up here with wind chills I dont know if the cold or the parents killed my 2 old german owls at a day old they were frozen n squashed in the nest


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Pigeon lower said:


> Its -25 up here with wind chills I dont know if the cold or the parents killed my 2 old german owls at a day old they were frozen n squashed in the nest


why in the heck would you hatch out babies in -25 degree weather?????


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

MaryOfExeter said:


> We made our own heaters out of the bottom tray from a metal chicken feeder, some stuff in the inside to insulate it, and a light bulb. It was just good enough to keep it unfrozen.
> Didn't help our individual cage drinkers though  THOSE I have to refill everyday when it gets real cold. I've learned to keep them only half filled up so when they freeze, it doesn't take as long to thaw out, and it doesn't bust the plastic.


nice
that never passed my mind.
I'll try that the next time I fill up the waterer and see how that works out for me
thanx


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## Pigeon lower (Oct 23, 2007)

This year i gotta take the risk because were moving and after we move i cant breed for the rest of the year all were waiting for is our house to sell then my pigeons all going to my grandpa's till i can get another loft set up. And also its in a garage with no openings for cold air to come in so its not that cold in there,


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## Parlor Fan (Jan 20, 2009)

Hi All, 
I have my Parlor Rollers separated by sex and have them in 3 different compartments that are 8'x 2'x2'.What I have been doing is buying the heated water dishes used for dogs from Wal-mart. I made some wire tops for them but they kept getting corncobs,droppings,etc, in them.What I did was cut slots in plastic ice cream buckets that are about 1 1/2 " wide and 5" tall.They have wokred out great and they had water even when it got down to -30 here in Iowa last Thursday and Friday.
MW


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I've heard of people using the heated dog dishes before, but didn't know they would work at -30. Wow! Are they expensive?


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## randymcone (Nov 19, 2008)

Normally, I wouldn't even bother reading a post about heated water fountains here in Georgia but it's been below 27 degrees for 3 days straight.....Where is this global warming I've been hearing about?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

The weather's going crazy this year.


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## Parlor Fan (Jan 20, 2009)

I bought mine last year and they are about $20 each.I'd say they hold about a quart of water.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

They sound like a good idea.


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## Guest (Apr 2, 2009)

I live in north and this is the cheapest and easiest way for frozen water in loft.
Just go to Wal-mart and buy those cheap heating pad foot x foot (medicine section).
It's about $12 and has vinyl (water proof) inside and fabric outside.

Take off the fabric and put your drinker on top of the vinyl, set the temperture to what ever is appropriate.

This is the best and easiest insted of building and buying expese stuff.


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## flying pig (Apr 2, 2009)

*water in loft*

I live in north and this is the cheapest and easiest way for frozen water in loft.
Just go to Wal-mart and buy those cheap heating pad foot x foot (medicine section).
It's about $12 and has vinyl (water proof) inside and fabric outside.

Take off the fabric and put your drinker on top of the vinyl, set the temperture to what ever is appropriate.

This is the best and easiest insted of building and buying expese stuff.


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## flying pig (Apr 2, 2009)

I live in north and this is the cheapest and easiest way for frozen water in loft.
Just go to Wal-mart and buy those cheap heating pad foot x foot (medicine section).
It's about $12 and has vinyl (water proof) inside and fabric outside.

Take off the fabric and put your drinker on top of the vinyl, set the temperture to what ever is appropriate.

This is the best and easiest insted of building and buying expese stuff.


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## g0ldenb0y55 (Dec 23, 2008)

Wow! you posted it 3 times! You must want to get your point across...lol.j/k


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## wolfwood (Jan 26, 2009)

We didn't pay this much for them at the local farm supply, but we used 2 of these this winter and they NEVER froze....in the garage or, later, when we actually got/moved them into the loft. We had a few nights that got below -20* ....


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## george simon (Feb 28, 2006)

*Dump And Fill Method*

*Well I do not live in the colder parts of the USA but here is what I do the last thing before night fall I remove all the waters from the loft. I feel that the birds when roosting at night do not move around looking for water. There for I see no need to leave water in a dark loft over night. Water in the loft all night long only collects dust and bactria gets a chance to grow in that water also if you have mice they will drink fron the water thus adding any bactria that they are carring.So dump it at night and fill up in the morning. Thats the Dump and Fill Method. Think about it* GEORGE


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

flying pig said:


> I live in north and this is the cheapest and easiest way for frozen water in loft.
> Just go to Wal-mart and buy those cheap heating pad foot x foot (medicine section).
> It's about $12 and has vinyl (water proof) inside and fabric outside.
> 
> ...


I wouldn't use something like that. It's not made for that. If it should get a hole or crack in it or something, it could get wet. Could be bad for the birds. The dog dish is only maybe $6.00 more, and holds a quart of water. And that's what they're made for. Holding water. That would be safer. And the flat heaters for the birds water are only like $17. Not saving enough to make it worth it.


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