High Country Insulated Buckets

[TyeeRanch]

I am wondering if there is anyone here that has used the High Country (or any brand) of insulated bucket? With our temperatures sitting right at about 15-20 degrees and no ability for heaters to all the waters, we are wondering if these work and are worth the price. Any thoughts are appreciated. http://www.highcountryplastics.com/products/ibh.html

 

[little lady]

I have one of those buckets...I bought it to use for my Paint horse mare that is in a three sided shelter with no acess to electric. If you are wanting to use it for that type of set up don't waste your money. Now if you want to dump it every day and put new in it "might" keep it open longer, but I am still hauling buckets of water everyday so my theory is why spend that kind of money when a ten dollar bucket will work. I can tell you though once it freezes the insulation helps keep it frozen. With that being said I do think in a barn that is more closed in it may work better????

 

[Connie Ballard]

They work to a certain level. We have those insulated bucket holders in all of our stalls, have used them almost 15 yrs. Ours have a disk that lays on top of the water (like a frisbee with hole in center). We're in Ohio and never had them freeze solid. They will get icy on top. I tap the frisbee with an old axe handle to break it loose (or old pipe piece have on hand)...then I dip out the ice particles with a wire strainer like used in kitchen. If you do add fresh water each a.m. they dont even freeze that much. I have never had one freeze solid like a regular rubber bucket. I remember trying to bang those darn rubber buckets on the ground to break out the solid lump.

When it gets below 20 degrees...we use the blue dog buckets (not the bowls)that are heated ... get them at WalMart or TSC.

So nice not to have to mess with any ice at all.

I like them in summer, keeps water cool and can still use the frisbee thing on top.

 

[~Lisa~]

I have used them before I got electric in the barn and I think they are worth it assuming you do not have safe electricity.

They never froze solid and if I went out with hot water around 9-10 pm they were still drinkable in the morning most nights they didnt ever freeze solid like my regular buckets did

 

[sfmini]

We use them too and while we do have to dump them, they never freeze solid, don't burn our electric bill, and the horses have access to water so we are happy with them.

 

[Bingo's Buck]

This is slightly off from the original post, but still on the topic of insulated water buckets. Does anyone know anything about products like Drover's Water bucket cozy? Like many others this time of the year find myself looking for ways to keep our critters with access to water for longer periods of time.

 

[mydaddysjag]

Im planning to make a "redneck" version of these. Im using two used tires, foam board insulation, and straw, then two buckets. Stacking the tires two high, cutting foam board to fit in the bottom, 2 pieces thick, stuffing the tires with straw, then putting the buckets in the tire holes. One bucket inside the other, so I dont have to deal with the straw trying to come out every time I dump the bucket.

 

[little lady]

Im planning to make a "redneck" version of these. Im using two used tires, foam board insulation, and straw, then two buckets. Stacking the tires two high, cutting foam board to fit in the bottom, 2 pieces thick, stuffing the tires with straw, then putting the buckets in the tire holes. One bucket inside the other, so I dont have to deal with the straw trying to come out every time I dump the bucket.

Now that sounds like my kind of plan...lol...let me know how it works.

 

[Taylor Richelle]

Im planning to make a "redneck" version of these. Im using two used tires, foam board insulation, and straw, then two buckets. Stacking the tires two high, cutting foam board to fit in the bottom, 2 pieces thick, stuffing the tires with straw, then putting the buckets in the tire holes. One bucket inside the other, so I dont have to deal with the straw trying to come out every time I dump the bucket.

Sounds pretty neat! Would love to see how that goes, as it sounds like something that would work for us.

 

[dreamlandnh]

I have the bucket cozy's and LOVE THEM. I only have 2 mini's so it is not bad. I have never left them out overnight as I bring the buckets in the house for fresh water each day and only once here in NH did we have some ice on them. It was a day that we had brutal winds.

In the barn we use the electric buckets from Walmart (just plugged them in last night

).

 

[Bingo's Buck]

I would also be interested to hear how your home made job turns out, and how well it works. It sounds like a good idea for a bigger bucket in the pen.