This message is from: "Jeanine Rachau" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I have Bower automatic heated waterers in the barn stalls and my jacks pen. They are mounted on concrete poured pads with a "heat well" formed by a big PCV pipe that goes through the concrete for several feet down. This brings the earths natural warmth up along with the water pipe and then a plug in heater is mounted under the waterer to keep the unit itself from freezing. So I had the electrical and the water brought in from underground in the same trench when I was setting them up. Just rented a ditch witch for the day and it really worked out pretty slick. The only thing adverse about the Bowers is that the basin will rust - otherwise they are pretty maintenance free. Watch out if you have geese however, they like to pull the drain plugs and flood the barn.
For the pastures I have 100 gallon rubbermaid troughs - set up beside those is frost free faucets and electrical outlets for water heaters. I like having the extra water available for large multiples of animals, even though it costs more to heat that much water at one time. I have had situations where I have temporarily lost my well water or electricity- and it's very comforting to know that the animals have enough water for me to get things fixed. I do have a donkey that routinely takes a mouthful of hay over to the trough then drops it into the trough to take their drink. Of course they don't pick it back up when they are done. Aaaarrrrgh! Keeping that particular 100 gallon unit clean is a chore in that section of pasture! Jeanine BLUE MOUNTAIN DONKEY FARM AMJR Registered American Mammoth Jackstock La Grande, Oregon, USA http://www.OregonVOS.net/~jrachau/ E-mail: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, January 02, 2005 10:57 AM To: fjordhorse@angus.mystery.com Subject: Re: Horse waterers This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] We have a 100 gal Rubbermaid tank with a heater that goes in the drain plug. I fill it with a hose that I keep out all winter. We live in Minnesota, so keeping the hose from freezing is a challenge. After filling the tank, I drain the water out of the hose by walking along from the end to the beginning with it over my shoulder. Sometimes it freezes, so I bring it into the house to thaw. Usually it stays open. Suzan The world is so empty if one thinks only of mountains, rivers and cities; but to know someone here and there who thinks and feels with us, and though distant, is close to us in spirit --- this makes the earth for us an inhabited garden. b
