ferguson_tom Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 Has anyone got any ideas of how to stop my chickens drinking water from freezing. Its only happened 3 times this year but I am already fed up of breaking the ice of and having to refill it before i go to work at 6 in the morning. I am not asking some smart *** to change the molecular structure to make it freeze at a lower temperature but if anyone knows of an additive (not alcohol) or some little battery powered heater i can put in the water to make my life easier i would like to hear about it. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpk Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 (edited) Stick a small ball in it which will leave a hole big enough for them to drink from it Obviously you will need to remove the ball daily so they can get at it I suppose if it is that cold that it all freezes as a block then I wouldn't know Edited February 3, 2012 by mpk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piebob Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 (edited) Has anyone got any ideas of how to stop my chickens drinking water from freezing. Its only happened 3 times this year but I am already fed up of breaking the ice of and having to refill it before i go to work at 6 in the morning. I am not asking some smart *** to change the molecular structure to make it freeze at a lower temperature but if anyone knows of an additive (not alcohol) or some little battery powered heater i can put in the water to make my life easier i would like to hear about it. Thanks My wife bought me a safe anti-freeze additive for my bird bath/drinkers for exactly this purpose. She got it from Dobbies I think. Edited to add: This stuff http://www.dobbies.com/Chapelwood-No-Ice-Bird-Bath-Anti-Freeze/pid-410839 Edited February 3, 2012 by Piebob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunnerman Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 I just remove it in the evening when they are shut away and put back in the morning when they are let out. Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEREALTHRILLER Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 At this time of year we keep our hens drinker in the greenhouse which they have access to as nothings growing in it at the moment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muggins. Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 I just remove it in the evening when they are shut away and put back in the morning when they are let out. Andrew I did this for a few days but it was still freezing up after i left for work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drayman Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 (edited) Nothing worked perfectly but we gave up on the round, conical type drinkers ages ago as the drinking area freezes very quickly. We now use a galvanised long metal feeder trough (ours is about 2' long and maybe 5" by 4". It still freezes overnight but stays clear all day and even on nights where it drops to zero. How's this. As I'm typing (work from home) just outside the window less than 6 feet away are the following: 1 cock pheasant Song Thrush 2 nuthatches Chaffinch 2 Dunnock. A gang of blue tits and great tits Coal *** Lesser spotted woodpecker and a greater that keeps flying in and out from the feeders. Couple of blackbirds Goldcrest Wren and some Robins defending their territories It's like Piccadilly circus on the feeders and difficult to concentrate on work. Edit: just noticed you can say tits but not *** Edited February 3, 2012 by WVAM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
storme37 Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 I just remove it in the evening when they are shut away and put back in the morning when they are let out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 (edited) Nothing worked perfectly but we gave up on the round, conical type drinkers ages ago as the drinking area freezes very quickly. We now use a galvanised long metal feeder trough (ours is about 2' long and maybe 5" by 4". It still freezes overnight but stays clear all day and even on nights where it drops to zero. How's this. As I'm typing (work from home) just outside the window less than 6 feet away are the following: 1 cock pheasant Song Thrush 2 nuthatches Chaffinch 2 Dunnock. A gang of blue tits and great tits Coal *** Lesser spotted woodpecker and a greater that keeps flying in and out from the feeders. Couple of blackbirds Goldcrest Wren and some Robins defending their territories It's like Piccadilly circus on the feeders and difficult to concentrate on work. Edit: just noticed you can say tits but not *** Thats quite a rarity now...where abouts are you.? I assume reasonably large, dense Broadleaf woodland nearby... Be interesting to know for the BTO BBS atlas... Edited February 3, 2012 by Fisherman Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 Just change it daily you lazy sod....Chickens deserve respect like every other livestock... If you cant be bothered to look after them properly you should have them... How do you think farmers managed 100 years ago ? Rant over... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegasus bridge Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 I butchered an old (but working) heated propogator. I have just cut a hole in one end of the lid section to allow the birds to drink from, works a treat - but the downside is you obviously need electric supply near the chickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drayman Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 Thats quite a rarity now...where abouts are you.? I assume reasonably large, dense Broadleaf woodland nearby... Be interesting to know for the BTO BBS atlas... I'm in Surrey about 5 miles south east of Guildford. Loads of broad leaf woodland around as we are just under the north downs. We've got two nut feeders in the garden and I reckon both lesser and greater visit them more than half a dozen times a day. The area is also teaming with Green Woodpeckers. Last year one of the Greater Spotted took apart a fascia board on the garage to get to a blue tits nest and babies - first time I'd seen that happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted February 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 (edited) Thanks everyone, i think i will change the drinker and maybe this additive. I know what you say about being bothered to keep them, but really at 6 in the morning the last thing i want to be doing is smashing the ice off and getting covered in water as it does eventually let go and spill everywhere. I should add my garden isnt actually behind my house its about 100 yards away then 100 meters long, I am lazy i know Edited February 3, 2012 by ferguson_tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compo90 Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 my hens have one of those bell type water things.......and the ferret has a dog bowl in his hutch.....both need bringing in and running under running water and refilling everyday, only takes a couple of minutes the running water is to melt the ice that they are inevitably filled with everyday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 All i do is boil up a kettle of water and pour this into their water bowl before i leave the house in the morning.It defrosts the ice quickly and by time they wake up the water has cooled down sufficently so they dont burn themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peck Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 (edited) a Edited February 3, 2012 by peck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimlet Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 My wife bought me a safe anti-freeze additive for my bird bath/drinkers for exactly this purpose. She got it from Dobbies I think. Edited to add: This stuff http://www.dobbies.com/Chapelwood-No-Ice-Bird-Bath-Anti-Freeze/pid-410839 Anyone know if this stuff is safe to use in ferret's water? I have the same problem with their water bottles. I can keep the bottles insulated but the ball in the nozzle freezes. I thaw them out 3 times a day but they're always thirsty in the morning. I hope they're getting enough water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drayman Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 Just searched the net and can't find what is in this stuff. Some other folks have asked if it's safe for chickens and they got this reply from the manufacturer: Reply: I have spoken to the manufacturer of this product who has stated that whilst it would be totally safe for laying chickens, using it in this way would cause ChapelWood ‘No Ice’ to become part of the food chain, which would require registration as an animal feed. On that basis I’m afraid that we can’t recommend it for that use. The RSPB don't recommend adding any chemicals to the water, and whether the product is natural, eco-friendly or any other such nonsense term it will still be a chemical or mixture of chemicals. That said, any chemical will lower the freezing point of water a little so a sugar solution might give you a degree of two more - but probably not worth it. I'm sure birds would be fine with added glycerol but you would have to add a lot to keep the water from freezing and then it probably wouldn't do the birds any good at all. One thing the RSPB does suggest is a sheltered night light under a metal container, if you are really keen! The simple answer and cheapest is change the water as frequently as you can. After all, in the wild the birds and mammals would have to search out tiny areas of unfrozen water. The other approach is to give food with a high liquid content e.g. mash in stead of dry food. The daughter's guinea pig, and our chickens, love left over cooked peas which are full of water ... and so on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakerboy Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 (edited) Hi I do not know what your water container is like, but could you not place a biscuit tin underneath place a couple of night lights in the tin and light them. They last for about 6-8 hours, and provided the gap between the top of the tin and the water conatiners is not too big they should stay alight all night. Terry Sorry just read above Edited February 3, 2012 by bakerboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-kev- Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 I used to put a few pairs of my old rugby socks over the top of the Bunny type water feeder i used for my ferrets, i cant ever remember them freezing over. The hutch front was also covered at night with a hessian sheet like the ones bricklayers use to protect there brickwork from frost. Like this one Hession frost protection Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin lad Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 Just change it daily you lazy sod....Chickens deserve respect like every other livestock... If you cant be bothered to look after them properly you should have them... How do you think farmers managed 100 years ago ? Rant over... dont know about 100 years ago they still breaking the ice on our farm now colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paladin Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 All i do is boil up a kettle of water and pour this into their water bowl before i leave the house in the morning.It defrosts the ice quickly and by time they wake up the water has cooled down sufficently so they dont burn themselves. We done this for years. no big deal Paladin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debaser Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 I've heard the little candles work. I'm off to buy a cheap aquarium heater tomorrow and give that a go. Of course you need mains outside and it's not an ideal solution but I'll see how it goes. ATB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty Harry Posted February 4, 2012 Report Share Posted February 4, 2012 I've got galvanised drinkers for the hens. We empty them at night then top them up with just enough hot water in the morning. Not a problem unless its really really cold. Leave them in the sun not the shade usually stops them freezing back over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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