Last night they gave up their last gasp. Looks like one is froze underground (buried 4 foot). The other may be just the supply line that had two heat tapes already on it. Supposed to actually get cold this weekend.
automatic waterers are now froze
- Thread starter angus9259
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angus9259":mlk9rzka said:
Just one man's opinion but that's not good at all.
Son of Butch
Well-known member
Sux...
Tarp and bullet heater?
Tarp and bullet heater?
Son of Butch
Well-known member
Yes and you need to be very careful with bullet/torpedo heaters too.
farmerjan
Well-known member
Got 3 froze now at different places. All "professionally" installed as part of that gov't crap to fence everything out of the creeks etc. Froze down in the ground and yes, it is supposed to get cold here the next couple of days; like nights in the minus and days not hitting 20.
Yes I realize that is not near as cold of you guys up north, and believe me, I did my share of penance while in Conn. and Vermont. But this is cold for here. Usually we will get a day or 2 or maybe even 3 of cold in the teens and single digits. But days often will warm up near freezing, with the sun out.
It did hit 32 today, cloudy, and not a thaw in sight. I spent all day hauling water to cattle that can't get any due to the frozen waterers. One I know is a Richie, don't know about the others. Turned the 8 bulls to the "crep" area so they can go to the creek and D#[email protected]%M the gov't crap and the owners that put it in. They want their rent, but tell you we're sorry but we can't do anything about it when it is this cold.
Will move one small group as soon as I can get all the calves into the catch pen; to a pasture where there is a big concrete trough and the water runs in and out the overflow enough that is hasn't had any freezing problems in 25 years.
Supposed to snow east of here with the storm coming up the coast. Only wind and bitter wind chills for here.
Yes I realize that is not near as cold of you guys up north, and believe me, I did my share of penance while in Conn. and Vermont. But this is cold for here. Usually we will get a day or 2 or maybe even 3 of cold in the teens and single digits. But days often will warm up near freezing, with the sun out.
It did hit 32 today, cloudy, and not a thaw in sight. I spent all day hauling water to cattle that can't get any due to the frozen waterers. One I know is a Richie, don't know about the others. Turned the 8 bulls to the "crep" area so they can go to the creek and D#[email protected]%M the gov't crap and the owners that put it in. They want their rent, but tell you we're sorry but we can't do anything about it when it is this cold.
Will move one small group as soon as I can get all the calves into the catch pen; to a pasture where there is a big concrete trough and the water runs in and out the overflow enough that is hasn't had any freezing problems in 25 years.
Supposed to snow east of here with the storm coming up the coast. Only wind and bitter wind chills for here.
Workinonit Farm
Well-known member
farmerjan":1krhe89s said:
I love those water troughs! I wouldn't mind having a couple like that. Up where I used to work, those things never froze! The Ritchie's would freeze if there weren't at least 100 cows in the pasture, using it frequently enough to keep the water moving. The one in the horse pasture would freeze all the time, in the conditions we've had lately, just not enough animals "moving" the water through the lines. :frowns:
Are you going to the Farm/Ag show, at Expoland (in Fishersville) this year?
farmerjan
Well-known member
Gonna try to go to Expo. Thought I would post the day and see if anyone else is going. Right now it will depend on my work schedule. Have had 3 farms cancel testing this week due to the cold and problems. I can't blame them. Plus one I cancelled as it is a cold parlor, they won't shut the exit door and I have no intention to freeze for 5 hours. Especially if it is as windy as they say.
Do you have a day in mind? Would like to maybe see if some of the members were going and get together to meet and maybe get lunch or something there.
Do you have a day in mind? Would like to maybe see if some of the members were going and get together to meet and maybe get lunch or something there.
Workinonit Farm
Well-known member
farmerjan":1fvb604t said:
I had similar thoughts, that whatever day that whoever else may be going, I'd try and go that day and meet up.
As of now, my schedule is fairly flexible.
Silver
Well-known member
angus9259":hjgz85zi said:
We always hang a brooder bulb or heat lamp under the trough, our water lines come up from the bottom of a culvert set in the ground. We hang the bulb a fair ways down the culvert and it tends to keep everything under the trough warm. Often if a trough is froze up it's because the bulb went out so just fixing that and giving it some time they will thaw out. Then it's just a matter of thawing the float valve out to finish the job.
I kind of be surprised that the underground line would be froze up this early in the winter. It seems like it takes a long cold winter with no snow at least on our soil. Hopefully it is just the supply line. What kind of waterer and how was it installed? We have a mirafount with the balls on top with a 12" heat riser that hasn't froze up in the 25 years it's been there. And we have a Ritchie that was installed wrong, a 4" riser that the guy filled with insulation around the water line. Luckily that is inside and will only freeze up every few years. Usually trickle some hot water down the side of the supply line and it opens in seconds.
redcowsrule33
Well-known member
ChrisB":1tdi1gri said:
Neighbor just had an excavator out to dig up a broken pipe, said the frost line was down 3 1/2 feet already.
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
We used to have Richie waterers at a farm we managed. We would take a flexible hose & hook on the exhaust of truck & put the end in the box under the water trough. Waterer was too far away for electricity and didn't have a generator back then. Frozen water lines suck.
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
We are heating 3 Richies, and now make sure there is a wind break and some straw around each. Seems to work down to -35. In the past -- supply lines seemed to freeze close to ground level. I think cold would come in from the side.
When we had problems in the past we used a light bulb or 5 gallons of hot water (our wood boiler heats to about 180 F) down the culvert. I have never tried truck exhaust but I am sure it would work also.
There are not many issues that can't be fixed with more cattle. :nod: An old timer trick is to winter more cattle and the keep water flowing... :cowboy: Good Luck.
When we had problems in the past we used a light bulb or 5 gallons of hot water (our wood boiler heats to about 180 F) down the culvert. I have never tried truck exhaust but I am sure it would work also.
There are not many issues that can't be fixed with more cattle. :nod: An old timer trick is to winter more cattle and the keep water flowing... :cowboy: Good Luck.
HDRider
Well-known member
Sure makes things tough.
Silver
Well-known member
Up here if your water lines aren't buried at least 6 feet you'll be in trouble. Any where you drive will push frost down pretty deep.
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
Did you get thawed out??
Jeanne - Simme Valley":azlbwk6f said:
one of them is flowing again. We have 40-50 degree weather coming up this week so hoping I can get the other one loose then. I'm going to employ the tractor exhaust hose on it if I can't get anywhere. These are all plastic waterers so I have to be gentle with the heat.
tnwalkingred
Well-known member
I have quite a few Mirafount waterers and I've yet to have an issue with them freezing. Now granted our weather isn't nearly as cold as yours but I love the idea of the truck/tractor exhaust solution. How did you attach the hose the exhaust?
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
They used flexible hose, like a big shop vac hose, and just slipped it over the exhaust pipe. Didn't take long to thaw.
I have had the Mirafounts freeze (I had a 4-hole, now have a 6-hole). Generally, just the balls get frozen in around the lip, but I have had the water inside freeze. I just pour 5 gal bucket of hot water in it and keep the cows away for 15-20 minutes so it has time to work. When we put the new 6-hole one in, we ran electricity and keep a "donut" heater in it. So far so good.
I have had the Mirafounts freeze (I had a 4-hole, now have a 6-hole). Generally, just the balls get frozen in around the lip, but I have had the water inside freeze. I just pour 5 gal bucket of hot water in it and keep the cows away for 15-20 minutes so it has time to work. When we put the new 6-hole one in, we ran electricity and keep a "donut" heater in it. So far so good.
