additives to prevent freezing?

[saz326]

To prevent water freezing I shall be trialing a couple of additives. Water only freezes at -0 (below 0 degrees C degrees when it is pure. Adding salts reduces the freezing temperature - hence the sea doesnt freeze until it is seriously cold. In the UK, we are looking at -5 at the worst (excluding wind chill)

I shall be making the following solutions and sticking them in the freezer to see what happens. Apple cider solution (as described on the container), "poultry drink" solution as described on the pack, Combination of cider vinegar and poultry drink.

I am assuming that they will all freeze in the freezer which is -15 degrees C, but i can see how quickly they return to liquid post freeze. and can measure the temperature as they do so.

Has anyone tried this before?

Does anyone use additives for this exact reason?



Sarah

 

[debid]

I use a heater as an additive ;-) It gets too cold here for anything other than heat or frequent trips to the coop with buckets.

Have you considered low-wattage solutions like pipe tape?

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

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[debid]

I think you misunderstood -- the poster is adding vinegar and poultry vitamins in normal quantities to see if those reduce the freezing point of water. There is no salt involved.

BTW, moving water freezes more slowly than still water so folks in mild climates can use a fountain or a little aquarium pump to keep the water moving.

 

[YlwBrchHobbyFrm]

I agree that adding things to the water in order to prevent or reduce freezing is something that many have tried to little avail. In the end, it just really isn't worth it. I do, however, like to add a splash of ACV to my chickens' water daily for the good of them

There are heating elements, heated dog bowls, insulated horse buckets, homemade cookie tin heaters, cinder block heaters, ping pong balls in the water, etc. So many things to try. I personally haul out warm water to the flock about 3 times a day. I like to take this time to spend a little quality time with them and check them out. Because where I'm at, it's tough to get me outside at -30 and if I had a heated waterer, I wouldn't be out there as much! Keeps me from being lazy And I lived without running water for many years, and this is what I've always done.

Good luck to you

 

[saz326]

Thanks all for the comments.

I have to admit i'm feeling like the folk here ca be a bit on the aggressive side. Of course Im not going to "play with their lives". Quite frankly that was a stupid thing to post. I am well aware of the risks, even down to impacting osmotic impact and causing dehydration etc.

Bear foot farm; if you were trying to be constructive with your comment then thank you for raising your concerns. I'm sure your comment wasn't supposed to be mean. If however you were replying simply for the sake of trying to make me feel daft then I shrug it off whilst looking at the certificates on the wall. I do like having "Dr" before my first initial.

Thank you for raising these other posts with me for the links to freeing prevention. The good thing is that some of these things may work beautifully for me a i am only expecting at the water containers location for a temperature of around -2 degrees at worst. Moving water may indeed be a great way forward.

My search continues. YBHS, thanks for the good vibes.



Dr S Dare.