Water in the winter

[Ourcozycoop]

hey y’all

Just curious as to how you all keep your water mains from freezing in your barns.

Our barn has a make shift water system. Our water is pumped from the well, the previous owner installed hoses along the ceiling which was SO convenient during the warm weather. Direct water to the chicken coop, a value by the stalls, a valve by the exterior for outdoor stalk tanks, etc. Well most of this lines sagged slightly from the ceiling. I tried telling my husband these would be frozen spots in the winter and required maintenance. The previous owner also wrapped these hoses in a heated wire system. Between the Canadian winter. The sagging of the hoses, it simply didn’t hold out. Not to mention the main was exposed in the barn with zero means of protecting it from the direct cold.

This is our second winter. Last winter was one for the books to say the least. Our barn is at least 150’ from our house and my poor husband spent the entire winter carrying buckets back and forth. If we only had the horses that wouldn’t have been a problem, but between the pig, dogs, chickens, horses. It was not an enjoyable winter (don’t even get me started on managing the snow drifts to actually be able to walk the buckets to the barn)

Now this year. We’ve eliminated the hose system as well as the heated wrapped wires. And I decided to stick to simply the main with a 100’ hose. I made my husband build a box around the main leaving only a Top valve exposed (main shut off is at the bottom of the box) inside I lined the box with fire retardant insulation. Boxes the exterior of the barn water main and did the same. I then added a heat source in the box (ceramics fixture with a reptile bulb) so far it’s working. We have yet to reach extreme cold though.

What do you all do to avoid pipes from freezing.

I’ve also installed a stalk tank heater and bought heated buckets for the pig and dogs. The chickens I have yet to figure out a means of keeping their water from freezing. But I’d say so far we are winning.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

You certainly have a challenge there but ingenuity appears to be winning! I have a heated stock tank for the horses. It has to be situated close to the barn because of electricity so is not convenient for all their area, but it works out. We run two long extension cords out to the chicken pen for their heated water. Some day I'd love to have electricity at my garden/chicken/horse barn. A big outdoor light, a fridge, and heat in the little barn to winter over a few plants would be great.

 

[Ourcozycoop]

You certainly have a challenge there but ingenuity appears to be winning! I have a heated stock tank for the horses. It has to be situated close to the barn because of electricity so is not convenient for all their area, but it works out. We run two long extension cords out to the chicken pen for their heated water. Some day I'd love to have electricity at my garden/chicken/horse barn. A big outdoor light, a fridge, and heat in the little barn to winter over a few plants would be great.

Question for your stalk tank. I plugged my heater into a safety receptacle but in the directions it was mentioned a method of grounding beyond the safety receptacle. Did you simply plug yours in as I did? I’ve never used one before. I also took some of our plastic tubing (we use under ground to move sitting water and puddles etc. When trenching) to avoid them chewing at the ‘chew resistant’ cord (HA) like they can’t ruin that! I’m a little nervous because I don’t know if there’s an extra grounding spike or whatever the heck the directions where meaning. I’m assuming GFCI is enough. Plus we are on a breaker panel. So I’m assuming if lord forbid something happen the breaker would go if the receptacle failed us.

 

[goatkisses]

I don't have electric to my barn so I have to carry water down multiple times a day. In the severe cold it's a challenge.

I have water bucket cozys that I wrap the buckets in, and that helps, but little minis and mule love to play with those.

Switching out cold buckets for warm ones also helps. I hope you find a system that you like.

 

[Ourcozycoop]

I don't have electric to my barn so I have to carry water down multiple times a day. In the severe cold it's a challenge.

I have water bucket cozys that I wrap the buckets in, and that helps, but little minis and mule love to play with those.

Switching out cold buckets for warm ones also helps. I hope you find a system that you like.

I tried to order bucket cozies but couldn’t find a Canadian company or one that delivers to Canada

 

[Marsha Cassada]

The stock tank heater, or chicken water, should be plugged into a GFCI, ground fault circuit interrupt outlet. Also, don't try to plug its 3 prong plug into anything that is only for 2 prongs.

 

[Ourcozycoop]

The stock tank heater, or chicken water, should be plugged into a GFCI, ground fault circuit interrupt outlet. Also, don't try to plug its 3 prong plug into anything that is only for 2 prongs.

Yes that’s what I have it plugged into, as I had mentioned. I’m not to sure who would try to force any plug anywhere, but lord help them.

Anyhow. I’ll re read regarding the extra grounding spike it’s referring too. Maybe this is not necessary when using a GFCI.

I am more so curious as to how others are keeping their water mains from freezing

 

[chandab]

We have frost free hydrants with water lines buried 8' deep to be certain they are below frost line (I think state code only says 6' deep, but hubby didn't believe them, so they are 8' deep). Knock on wood, no frozen lines in winter. Although, my main mini pen does not have a hydrant, so I haul water in winter to those horses (summer I have a tank on a trailer to haul their water, or can lay out several lengths of hose connected). The gelding pen is next to the bull pasture, so they drink from the bull's tank, which has a frost free hydrant.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Frodt free hydrants here also. have to make sure and drain the hose after each use.

 

[Ourcozycoop]

Frodt free hydrants here also. have to make sure and drain the hose after each use.

I will have to google these frost free hydrants

 

[Ourcozycoop]

Frodt free hydrants here also. have to make sure and drain the hose after each use.

What makes these frost free? It looks like it would freeze to me? Also I assume this is connected directly to the well line somehow? There wasn’t much of a discription

 

[goatkisses]

That's too bad about the bucket cozies. I can't remember the name of the kind I have (old brainzzz).

Winter sure can be challenging. We had a flash freeze here (NY) overnight so what was wet is now frozen.

 

[Ourcozycoop]

That's too bad about the bucket cozies. I can't remember the name of the kind I have (old brainzzz).

Winter sure can be challenging. We had a flash freeze here (NY) overnight so what was wet is now frozen.

Since doing what we’ve done to the main, I think I’ve semi solved our problem; for now anyways. We will see when temps drop below the -20 -30 marker! I don’t think much will keep anything from freezing at that point.

One day my ponies and I will retire somewhere warm haha I always attempt to convince my daughter that when the time comes she should apply for school somewhere warm and we will all follow her. She’ll probably end up going to the Artic hahaha ‘joking’

 

[Marsha Cassada]

The frost free hydrant works by draining the water down below the freeze line every time the water is shut off. Yes, it is connected to the water line. We have 3 in various places on our property. That price on Amazon seems high. We buy them at our farm stores for under $200. Maybe the freeze line in Canada is so deep they are not practical? Not sure about that, but don't know why the faucet couldn't be extended to a deeper line.

I fill up my heated stock tank when the temperature is above freezing, then drain the hose so it is usable in case of emergency.

 

[Ourcozycoop]

The frost free hydrant works by draining the water down below the freeze line every time the water is shut off. Yes, it is connected to the water line. We have 3 in various places on our property. That price on Amazon seems high. We buy them at our farm stores for under $200. Maybe the freeze line in Canada is so deep they are not practical? Not sure about that, but don't know why the faucet couldn't be extended to a deeper line.

I fill up my heated stock tank when the temperature is above freezing, then drain the hose so it is usable in case of emergency.

Yes, I was thinking that. Im wondering if this could be in replace of what’s connected to the main currently. Hmmmm. Glad I posted regarding water in winter!

 

[Minimor]

That is an overly high price for a hydrant here--i paid $280 for mine I think, and that was 2 years ago. Nd yea, the frost free hydrants work in Canada--though once in awhile they do freeze up. Usually it is in late winter/early spring when the frost gets pushed deeper into the ground. Last spring several of my neighbors had theirs freeze up.

I simply haul water to my horses (43 of them)--don't use buckets, use rubbermaid garbage cans and a poly chore sled from Koenders. I carry mine out of the house and use warm water but it's even easier if you have an outside tap you can fill the tubs from.

 

[JanBKS]

I have a frost free in the barn, and a frost free coming out of pump house, years ago I got a brilliant idea to use heated hoses they worked fine but after I drained them you don't have to they say, the ends would freeze up, solved that problem by sticking the ends in the cats heated water dish, so during my recovery from two hip surgery's and a back surgery my helpers had a hard time remembering to put ends in cat dish, so I reverted to a pocket hose drained and put in a heated hose bag, the one outside heated bucket I slide a PVC pipe over a t-post with a T on top slid his hose threw that secured it to barn and his tent, hooked up a hair dryer to thaw out quick disconnect at barn end, dropped the other end in his heated bucket not been frozen yet,( I do take his end out and drain once he is watered) So everyone has heated buckets, minis have the small ones cat still has her's and my heated bag, I don't use the heated hoses anymore, time to sell them, my 75 ft pocket hose reaches everyone I do have pictures I hope you can understand them, the hair dryer gets brought in after so it's out of the weather.

 

[Ourcozycoop]

That is an overly high price for a hydrant here--i paid $280 for mine I think, and that was 2 years ago. Nd yea, the frost free hydrants work in Canada--though once in awhile they do freeze up. Usually it is in late winter/early spring when the frost gets pushed deeper into the ground. Last spring several of my neighbors had theirs freeze up.

I simply haul water to my horses (43 of them)--don't use buckets, use rubbermaid garbage cans and a poly chore sled from Koenders. I carry mine out of the house and use warm water but it's even easier if you have an outside tap you can fill the tubs from.

I will price around before deciding for sure! This seemed a wee steep! I can live with what I have if it gets us through that deep frost. This is what I’m waiting for. If not I’ll likey price these out and go for it.

We have the stock tanks and then I use the rubbermaid muck buckets from our Home Depo for water everywhere else (in the summer) our girls have the barn run in for the winter and that’s where I’ve got the stock tank and heater set up right now. But once those temps really hit us I’ll be either keeping them in or closing them out during the days (they have a good enclosure outside too) this is likely when I’ll drag out one of the Rubbermaid muck buckets to the run in.

 

[Ourcozycoop]

Question for stock tank heaters.

Anyone run one off an extension cord, the extension cord being plugged into ground receptacle? ..

 

[JanBKS]

All mine are run off extension cords carefully away from horse mouths, so far no problem but this is an old old barn so the Jerk never put in no fault or enough outlets,which I am doing now adding some where I need them most.