Farm hydrant worked 1 day, not the next.

Last fall, we had a hydrant installed near our barn. The line is approx. 6ft deep, 200+ ft long. It worked fine with lots of pressure until a few weeks ago. At times we are able to get full pressure for 5-10 gallons, then trickled to nothing. At that point, we check the other hydrant near the well... it works fine.

Some days, we would have no problems what so ever. We'd get 20-30 gals, easy. Other days we have limited water again at the barn.

Just a few days ago, we pulled up the handle... nothing, not a drop. We even left it up from one day to the next... still nothing. Now, we're carrying water from the well hydrant to the barn for the animals... not fun.

Here in MN, we still have frost in the ground but things are warming up a little. The above-ground mechanics of the barn-hydrant are working fine, so we don't believe the hydrant itself is froze. The gauge at the well doesn't indicate that we may have a major leak downline (it holds steady at 60-70 pounds). The weep hole area 5-6ft down of the hydrant in question has 1-2 inch rock around it... not dirt or gravel/sand mixture.

Any help would be appreciated.
Rich

It could be:
1 freeze related
2 defect in the hydrant
3 debris in the line tha blocks the flow

Redwood slides a pile of chips on #3

If it's the standard ones (like the ones at Fleet Farm) there is a vertical rod and a valve down at the bottom. The valve can stick or freeze.

Try removing the top and pulling the rod.

If that does not work, then the pipe itself might be froze.

It's strange, but the frost actually moves deeper at the end of the winter.