Cold weather

[Jo]

Can I please ask what other people do to stop their hens' water from remaining frozen all day in really cold weather? This winter I shall be out at work all day. Other winters I have been home a bit more so I could pop out and break the ice - so I haven't really had this problem. This past week, I have put in fresh water before going to work but it has been a solid block of ice by the time I have got home again.

thanks

Jo

[Millymollymandy]

No idea, I've only just started seeing frozen water in the mornings too because we didn't get our hens until April. Luckily we are around during the day but it's not something I'd thought about before! I hope you get an answer but I doubt it will come from Wombat who probably doesn't have this problem!

[Muddypause]

I was always told, as a boy, that hot water will freeze faster than cold water. It was always said in a way that made me think it was an old wive's tale. It certainly doesn't seem to make any logical sense - after all, hot water has to become cold water before it can freeze, so from that point, what would be different?

And yet, it seems that it is true. I haven't actually done the experiment myself, but I've been reading a couple of links that try to explain the reasons for it. The suggestion is, in practice, that hot water will ice over on the surface quicker, but cold water will freeze solid faster.

So, I guess the advice is not to put hot water out for the chooks.

I'm also wondering if there is a way of putting a nightlight candle under that water container just to keep the worst of the frost off - have to shield it from the wind, and make sure it can't burn the place down. I also remember my granddad used to keep an electric light on in his attic, rigged adjacent to the pipes to stop them freezing - even one of those little 25W candle bulbs can give off quite a lot of local heat, and might work OK if it was inside the coop rather than out in the open. In fact, what about decorating the inside of the chicken coop with christmas tree lights?

[Jo]

Adding salt, even in very small quantities, does away with the notion of 'fresh' water. I've also been told to add a dollop of glycerine but this gets expensive. It also may have the effect of increasing the hens' non-egg output, if you get my meaning.

Somebody somewhere must have a solution to this little problem - please!

Jo

[Chickenlady]

Never mind the water - I have been worried about the hens freezing to death in the night, as a friend told me two of her neighbours rabbits had! Mind you, she is in Wales!

How about insulating the water container in some way - maybe wrapping the top of it in newspaper or bubble wrap? Just a thought. It hasn't yet been cold enough in East Anglia for this to happen, although my chooks are in a very sheltered spot.

Jane

[ina]

The most effective way would probably be to get yourself one of those cables that you can wind around pipes to keep them from freezing. Then drape that around the water trough, wrap it in something protective, and switch it on - at least for part of the day. I don't think they use a lot of electricity. We have them in the shed for the pipes leading to the waterbuckets.

Ina