water keeps freezing

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albertajune
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water keeps freezing

Post by albertajune »

Does anyone have a good tip to stop the chicken drinking water from freezing?
Although my girl is confined to her small run, which is covered on the inside with bubble wrap to keep the wind away, the water keeps freezing. I have tried dribbling a little oil on top but still have to keep going out with the kettle to defrost the ice that forms on top.
She doesn't like being confined after having the run of the garden, but for her own good and mine that is where she will be staying. I couldn't bear to see her looking at me through the patio doors.{cry}
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kitla
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Re: water keeps freezing

Post by kitla »

It is a big problem. I have gel filled microwave heat pads that I put under or against the water, that helps, but I had to reheat them about 4 times yesterday when it froze. A hot water bottle might do the same thing. Today I put some cardboard under the heatpad and one side of the drinker hoping it will provide a bit of insulation. One other thought, as you only have one hen, could you bring her indoors anywhere until the worst has passed?
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Grannyof4
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Re: water keeps freezing

Post by Grannyof4 »

My chicken is living in my log cabin at the moment. She is not happy about it but at 7 1/2 yrs old I think it is too cold for her to be out, even in her run. Her little Omlet house was lovely and warm and she also had a shelter but would insist on digging up the rest of the run.
Cheshire Chick
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Re: water keeps freezing

Post by Cheshire Chick »

All I keep doing is going down and filling up the water bowls with warmish water so that it takes a little bit longer to freeze over.
albertajune
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Re: water keeps freezing

Post by albertajune »

kitla wrote: It is a big problem. I have gel filled microwave heat pads that I put under or against the water, that helps, but I had to reheat them about 4 times yesterday when it froze. A hot water bottle might do the same thing. Today I put some cardboard under the heatpad and one side of the drinker hoping it will provide a bit of insulation. One other thought, as you only have one hen, could you bring her indoors anywhere until the worst has passed?

I would love to bring her in but am open plan and only have carpet. Too much poo. She is quite comfortable with lots of straw in her house and under it where it is nice and dry. I think she is probably lonely so I give her lots of visits with treats.
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KarenE
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Re: water keeps freezing

Post by KarenE »

Apparently hot water freezes quicker than cold water, due to the condensation I think, so don't fill up water containers with hot or boiling water unless you are defrosting them. I used to make a jacket for my water tubs from garden fleece and bubble wrap, and then put it in a cardboard box on its side, like a little cupboard, so it was insulated and it did used to work a bit better. Now I am wondering why I haven't done that this year! Some say putting a golf or ping pong ball in helps but that only works if the ball keeps moving - otherwise it gets frozen in place. I've also seen some posts saying that a small bottle filled with salt water, very (extremely) well sealed off (as you don't want salt water getting into their drinking watyer) and then placed in the normal water helps to prevent it frezing so quickly as salt water has a lower freezing temperature. I haven't tried that either, not sure how it works as its in a sealed container.
I'm afraid though, it's constant trips to refill unless you can use a heater or bring the water and Rosie inside
Karen
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Mo
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Re: water keeps freezing

Post by Mo »

When I had hens I used to take the drinkers indoors overnight, so that they started above freezing. But it's a constant battle. I think I stopped using the drinker if it was really cold - just took a small tub of warm water out every time I went out. A square marg tub with a mug stood in to stop it tipping over.
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Mo
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Re: water keeps freezing

Post by Mo »

KarenE wrote: Apparently hot water freezes quicker than cold water, due to the condensation

I just don't see how that can be true.
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lancashire lass
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Re: water keeps freezing

Post by lancashire lass »

I have had the same problem with the 2 drinkers - with day temperatures below zero, it is inevitable the water is going to freeze. Surprisingly the pond has so far remained ice free because the sheer volume of water retains some heat though it doesn't feel warm, and the pump running so that water falls on the pond surface - but the secret has been the PVC sheets that I put over the top of the entire pond so that wind doesn't move across the surface. What freezes first in the drinkers is the water in the rim at the bottom because it is a small area - putting bubble wrap round the main bottle might prevent heat escaping from the bulk of the water but that's about it.
What I have been doing is giving the girls a "moist" breakfast so they are getting some water through the food rather than eating nothing but dry grain and pellets which will likely make them more thirsty. When I've put fresh water out in a morning, they are not rushing out to drink so I think I can presume they are not distressed by the lack of water when it is frozen .... when I have been able to visit during daylight hours, they are both sheltering either in the mini run or in their coop to keep warm (I did tell them that if they didn't try to kill each other they could have shared a coop for added warmth) Unlike during hot weather, they must be able to conserve water better during cold spells (most wild birds must be in a similar situation when their water source is frozen)
Another thing I've done is add a little Battles Poultry Drink which contains minerals in a sugar syrup base - much like adding salt to water (which obviously I haven't), the minerals and syrup should help slow the freezing down (maybe just a little - imagine putting fruit squash as ice lollies into the freezer, they will still freeze eventually)
Gwenoakes
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Re: water keeps freezing

Post by Gwenoakes »

I have found the drinker to freeze much quicker than an ordinary glass pyrex bowl, so now use that and replenish it several times a day.
albertajune
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Re: water keeps freezing

Post by albertajune »

A few things to try)t'
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kitla
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Re: water keeps freezing

Post by kitla »

Mo wrote:
KarenE wrote: Apparently hot water freezes quicker than cold water, due to the condensation

I just don't see how that can be true.

There was a thread about this some time ago, its called the "mpemba effect". Sound mad but its true.
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
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p.penn
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Re: water keeps freezing

Post by p.penn »

Mo wrote:
KarenE wrote: Apparently hot water freezes quicker than cold water, due to the condensation

I just don't see how that can be true.

I believe it is true Mo. When I was waitressing years ago, the owner (and chef) always said to fill the ice cube trays with hot water as it freezes quicker than cold.
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lancashire lass
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Re: water keeps freezing

Post by lancashire lass »

kitla wrote:
Mo wrote:
KarenE wrote: Apparently hot water freezes quicker than cold water, due to the condensation

I just don't see how that can be true.

There was a thread about this some time ago, its called the "mpemba effect". Sound mad but its true.

link to wikipedia
The Mpemba effect is a process in which hot water can freeze faster than cold water.

There is still controversy over why it happens but it has been observed that when a container of hot water and a container of cold water are chilled down at the same time, the hot water one does appear to freeze more quickly. Some interesting ideas include:
- effect of evaporation (chilling effect on the surface of the water - much like sweating in hot weather will help to cool you down)
- convection (that is, currents in the hot water compared to cool water - a bit like stirring your hot cup of tea will cool it down more quickly than if it just sat undisturbed)
- solutes (these are the dissolved minerals in water - allowing water to freeze round them)
- effect of dissolved gases (boiling water will drive the gases out of the water so "concentrate" the water molecules together)
- hydrogen bonding (when water is boiled, the bonds between hydrogen and oxygen are weak - this allows evaporation)
- a supercooling effect (that is, water will remain liquid below 0oC) of cold water before it freezes compared to the hot water when it cools
- different types of hydrogen bonds occur in boiling which form hexagonal (6 sided) ice when it is cooled rapidly (that is - the shape may be the reason why something freezes/goes from liquid to solid form more quickly ... it is a chemistry thing)
HedgeHugger
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Re: water keeps freezing

Post by HedgeHugger »

Glycerine can help to stop freezing. Not sure about compatibility with chickens and glycerine though.
Just frequent checking/changing otherwise.
I've also heard that hot freezes quicker than cold. That's why if you want to defrost stuff quickly (windscreens for instance) use cold water not hot.

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