Water freezing

[RonP]

Do you really think a circulator will be necessary?

Engine block heaters work very well without any additional mechanical circulation.

Hot water rises, constantly being replaced with the cooler water from below, and thus circulating throughout the engine without mechanical assistance.

Just a thought...

 

[Cluckies]

Do you really think a circulator will be necessary?

Engine block heaters work very well without any additional mechanical circulation.

Hot water rises, constantly being replaced with the cooler water from below, and thus circulating throughout the engine without mechanical assistance.

Just a thought...

I don't know if it is necessary or not. Probably not. However, when it warms up a little I will take the pump out and see how it goes. Since it is working for now, I'll leave it in.

 

[rosinsk1772]

Something I don't see stated is if people are placing their water in the coop or not? I've been leaving mine in the run which is protected from rain and wind; however, the ring of the fountain is freezing all the time. Any suggestions? I have the red plastic fountain that isn't completely flat on the bottom

 

[EagleEyes]

I moved mine into the coop when temps got below freezing and I started using my cookie tin heater. when they get back above freezing for good, sometime towards spring, I will move it back out to the run. And I'll be unplugging and removing the cookie tin heater till next winter.

 

[rosinsk1772]

Do you have any spillage? Or do you find the water adds to much moisture to the coop?

 

[Cluckies]

Mine is in the run, I have a smaller coop and it would add too much moisture. I'm already battling too much moisture in there.

 

[EagleEyes]

I get zero spillage and the humidity in the coop is about the same as outside.

 

[RonP]

I get zero spillage and the humidity in the coop is about the same as outside.

Same here.

Humidity will always be the same, inside and out in a well ventilated coop.

At subfreezing temperatures, the water spilled will just freeze anyway.

Once it warms, the extra moisture will act the same way as frozen poop, one of the reasons ventilation is so critical.

The humidity needs to exit!

 

[cheapcheepcheep]

I use a thing called a Snuggle Safe pet bed warmer. It's a disk you microwave and it's supposed to keep your pet's bed warm, but it's also the same size as my small (1 gal) waterer's base, so I nuke it in the morning, put it in the run with the water on it, and supposedly you get 8 hours of warmth. I imagine somewhat less when it's out in the elements, but it's been working for 2 years for me. I don't put water in the coop, just the run, and I don't have electricity out there, which is how I came to this plan. I was going to try a solar-powered lamp in the cookie tin heater type thing, but my electronics skills aren't that fancy. The Snuggle Safe is $27ish online, depending on where you look.

I also add a little more ACV than usual to the water to lower the freezing point.

 

[ABlovinmychicks]

So just the heat lamp isn't keeping our water from freezing on the gals so yesterday hubby built a cinderblock heater/water holder. There is light recepticles in both "holes".Can't wait for the glue to finish curing so I can put it in this afternoon!!!