Winter weather watering

[skysthelimit]

The sink is on the wall facing the dining room.

Hmm. I have never been in a kitchen that has an outside wall where the sink wasn't facing a window. Maybe it is a regional thing then, and in cold climates they avoid running plumbing on outside walls. :?

I think everything about this house is odd. The rooms are so small, no matter what side you place a twin bed, it's under a window. The attic door, is in the bathroom. The side door swings into the house, blocking the stairs that lead up to the kitchen. The kitchen is literally 6x8, no space for a stove or fridge to be together in the room. Fridge is essential, so I opted for no stove. I can't imagine how it was built at the time when every appliance was huge and it was a fully functional house.

Anyway new picts.<br /><br />__________ Wed Oct 30, 2013 3:41 pm __________<br /><br />

Sky, I think our advice might be more on-target if we had a better picture of your set-up. How many cages do you have and are you using crocks/dishes or bottles in winter?

There are 45 cages in use currently. Two isles, three rows of cages, with the center row of cages back to back. Another bank is in front of the back to back cages. Two stacker units sit to the side of the other two rows of cages, and one lonely guy on the floor.

I switched to crocks last fall, and never switched back. So far, it made my summer watering much easier, with a watering can. I've always carried water to the barn, but each year more rabbits and more water. Last winter it was six gallon jugs a day, not too bad I could carry 3 with one hand. Last winter it was a small problem, as some rabbits liked to toss the crocks, so I wired them down, and that made it hard to swap them out. This year, I'm going to invest in metal crocks that go into a hoop, and I can just pop them out and insert another. Or mostly, I like to drop them on the concrete and let the dogs eat the ice.

 

[MaggieJ]

Much clearer idea now of the challenges you are facing. I'm not sure I would like metal crocks for two reasons: they would freeze faster and the rabbits might possibly get stuck to them if they lick the metal when it is really cold.

Take a look at the idea I posted. It would work much like the metal crocks with the hoop holders, but might be safer. I'm not sure how the price would compare.
cheap-and-easy-winter-water-idea-t18459.html

Hope you can work this out before the cold weather. That is a lot of rabbits to care for!

 

[skysthelimit]

Hmm. I like the idea. Some would definitely eat the plastic, they chew the plastic dog crocks I got from dollar tree. About half chew and half don't. The ones that chew have completely destroyed the plastic crocks. Two in particular always pee in the drinking pans. I had planned on giving those two back the water bottles.

I talked to my Dad today about putting a spigot in the basement. But really, I need to find some way to get water out there on a more regular basis. I had not planned to make any drastic changes to this house, but the longer I stay here, the more I need to have in place to continue this operation.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

If you do run water out there, see if you can tap into the heated water. Of course, I think that takes twice as much pipe because you need a cold and hot line, and then a "mixer" (or whatever you call it!). Since we built our own house I had Hubs put a hot/cold source on the outside wall so I could bathe my dogs (Great Danes at the time)outside even in winter.

 

[bobqdevon]

Also, consider an in line heater. might be cheaper to run one cold line out, then split it in two and run one to a tankless in line water heater. Then you could have all the hot and cold running water you wanted out there.

 

[skysthelimit]

If I ever get the chance to build a house, I will make a corridor that connects the barn to the house. If the barn was in the back, or on the side where the side door is, I would do that anyway.

I was thinking that too. Since this is not supposed to be my permanent residence, I am trying to change it as little as possible and do things I can take with me when I leave.

 

[PSFAngoras]

Just a note for cold fingers...

My mom breaks the ice on the horse trough instead of heating it, and found a Walmart cheapie pair of neoprene gloves in the hunting section for winter duck decoy setup. They didn't last long, and walmart no longer carries them, but I was able to find her a much better quality pair at a hunting supply outlet store and they were elbow length, only set me back $20. Fleece lines and dry... Now that's comfort!

As far as metal crocks that sit in the rings, I've had them since I started with the rabbits and I've never had anyone have issues getting stuck to the bowl, not even the kits. Maybe they only want to deal with the water while its warm and wait for me to refill at night again, who knows, but no problems yet. And like sky said, I just pour a little warm water over the bottom or smack them on the concrete path and the dog has another toy to play with. Works great.

 

[AnnClaire]

Sky, you might try covering the racks of cages with some 6mil plastic sheeting to help keep the rabbit's heat they generate in the cage ... this worked pretty well for me the past 3 winters as far as keeping water for the buns. Yes, the outter edge of the crock would freeze, but the rabbits were able to keep the center open ... of course, when it is really cold, nothing but a heater would have done any good and I ain't doing that ... so, 2x per day I trudged water out to the cages.

Of course, tyvek feed bags and duct tape work really well to make a "hoodie" for each cage too.