Are you having an issue with your goat’s water freezing? I was having that problem and I needed a solution. It is really important that goats have access at all times to water which is why you need to try this.
During the day, I use a standard water bucket and then I place hay around it to insulate it. At night, when we get really cold freezing temperatures in the winter, I switch to a different bucket. I don’t like the idea of using electric heated water buckets so here is my solution….
Try this…
What I use is a cooler. Specifically, a Coleman Party Stacker 2 gallon cooler. They discontinued this cooler so I switched to the Igloo 2 gallon Sport Beverage Cooler.
How to avoid the FREEZE.
At night, I fill it up with fresh, warm water. The goats love getting warm water in the winter. I place hay around the cooler to help with insulation. Most winter nights, the water in the cooler does not freeze. On the coldest nights, here in Massachusetts, we will get a thin layer of ice on top, but it is minimal. This is way better than a standard bucket that completely freezes over.
This helps too…
My winter routine is adding warm water to each bucket and rotating them once daily. I place the regular bucket in the goat shed in the morning with warm water and then switch it out with the Coleman cooler in the evening. My goat shed is closed up at night in the winter, aside from a small window and gable vents. I fill the shed floor with shavings and hay bedding in a deep layer method.
Your turn to try it out.
Go ahead and give it a try. You can purchase the Coleman Party Stacker 2 gallon cooler here. If it is still out of stock the new cooler I am using is the Igloo 2 gallon Sport Beverage Cooler.
My two Nigerian Dwarf goats, Fancy Nancy and Amelia Bedelia never finish 2 gallons of water, even on hot days so this size works well for them.
You can also try using a recycled cooler after you’ve cleaned it out well. I love finding free items to recycle.
Now you know. A cooler keeps your goat’s water from freezing.
