Freezing water troughs - what do you do?

[Keithb]

We have some cattle and horses and I've always wondered what those do further up north that get freezes more than 2-3 times/year? Temporarily I have water hoses run to standard floats on the water troughs. I normally shut the valve off and remove the hose when it freezes down here. I have a trench dug now to bury pvc to the troughs for faucets but unsure if I am going to put a riser, or leave the valve in the ground? The map I have shows a freeze depth of no more than 4-6 inches.

Also, in my pump shed, I just hang a 250w heat lamp. It's a 8x10 metal shed from Lowe's but I think I'm going to stud out a frame and attach this metal shell to it with the foam board insulation in between to eliminate having to put a lamp in it. What do you guys do?

[bowhuntertex]

Tractor supply carries a water heater that will keep the troughs water from freezing if you have electicity close by. Other wise you go out a couple of times a day with a rock bar and make sure the ice is broken up.

Here is the one tractor supply carries Trough Heater

[Keithb]

Do you plumb pvc or pipe directly to the float? Or run a short hose? Do you just insulate that and hope the float doesn't freeze internally?

Thanks for the link. The 1.5 kw bothers me. That's 1.5 KWH every hour and I'm pretty cheap when it comes to energy consumption.

[Shane]

Growing up in the Panhandle, we used trough heaters, pear burners, and/or axes to get through the ice. Some troughs had water lines buried deep enough to not freeze. When we needed to fill one with a hose, we kept electric tape heat elements wrapped around the faucet. Then after filling the trough, we'd completely drain and roll up the hose so it wouldn't be frozen up the next day.

[Atfulldraw]

buddy of mine takes the water hose inside (screws the ends together) after filling it, and uses one of those duck decoy wigglers to keep the water moving.

it helps some, but the hammer and axes have to come out occasionally....

[jooger17]

Rig up a areator (sp) or a small pump and circulate the water.

[keep's keeper]

I was just reading on FB a post on a friends thread. I don't know the person who posted but it caught my attention because of the subject. She lives in Alaska and was talking about the same thing. Not sure how this works though:

"wasilla - about 45 miles north of anchorage for water we use coolers, we put a light in the bottom encased in a glass canning jar for heat(very inexpensive, as far as electricity goes). it works well till about zero then twice a day i ...dump in a five gallon bucket of hot water that i get from the garage. keep in mind we only have 2 horses - it gets a bit more complicated for those with more then that... we also have separate heated water for the chickens (in their insulated heated coup) and the dog (in her insulated house). you ~really~ have to WANT and love your animals up here to have them. hay is very expensive and just overall care is harder and more time consuming but - wouldn't trade it for the world "

Still tying to figure out the light in the bottom of the cooler thing........

[Mouse]

We weighted down 55 gallon barrels with sand and burned lump coal in them. The coal would burn about 10 to 12 hours.

[okrattler]

My Grandpa has a float on his stock tank to keep the water runnin just enough so that the water won't freeze.It's kind of the same type of deal that Atfulldraw was talkin about pretty much.He has another stock tank that doesn't have a float so we use an axe to break the ice and a pitch fork to throw it out.A hammer works too but sometimes little pieces of ice fly up and hit you in the face and it stings a little so I like usin an axe to break ice with.

[whitetailfanatic]

sledge or axe?
put a chunk of firewood in it with a flag of some sort on top and it will float around and keep the top open.

[Skinny]

I have been dealing with 8 frozen troughs for the past 2 days. Bust ice, refill. Bust more ice, refill.

Do not let the ice get to thick or ou will not be able to bust it. The best thing I have found is to have a frost free hydrant very close to every trough you have. That way you have a short hose to drain.

[JRS]

Was at it all day today breakin ice, looks like I'll be at it all day tomorrow.

[John K]

Out her in CO, have used a trough heater, plug in type, that is either 1200-1500watts. Bought in the local version of TSC.

Still sometimes have to bust some ice morning and evening and use a shovel to remove it. Animals have been fine and usually drink as we are busting ice and that gets them through.

I sure would not want to drink that coooold water though!

John

[Redneck Archer]

in northern michigan our waterlines were buried deep, and insulated where it came out of the ground to the trough for the horses. Then we would use trough heaters in the trough

sometimes the top would still freeze when the high never came above zero for a month at a time, and the low at night was -20 to -30 without the windchill... (freaking cold)