Advice needed

[Sara_nowo]

I read somewhere that you can put a small bag of salt in your water bowl (obviously secure enough not to break) to keep water from freezing in the winter for people who do not have electricity in their coops. Anyone else tried this? What do you think

 

[SmiYa0126]

I read somewhere that you can put a small bag of salt in your water bowl (obviously secure enough not to break) to keep water from freezing in the winter for people who do not have electricity in their coops. Anyone else tried this? What do you think

Hi! I used salt method. I used a glass jar, diluted 50/50 and put it inside the waterer. I didn't have issues last winter.

 

[Sara_nowo]

Hi! I used salt method. I used a glass jar, diluted 50/50 and put it inside the waterer. I didn't have issues last winter.

Good to hear! I will try that thank you!

 

[NestingMillenial]

It's not going to help actually.

Salt water does not stay warmer, it just freezes at lower temperatures, meaning that it is still in liquid form while being at a below freezing temperature. This in turns means that the water around it won't be warmed by it at all (everything will be at the same temperature, the salted part will be liquid and the rest will be freezing).

Movement is a better way to go as long as your temperatures are not too low (like putting a golf ball in the container so the surface moves around a bit and doesn't freeze)

 

[StinkyAcres]

It's not going to help actually.

Salt water does not stay warmer, it just freezes at lower temperatures, meaning that it is still in liquid form while being at a below freezing temperature. This in turns means that the water around it won't be warmed by it at all (everything will be at the same temperature, the salted part will be liquid and the rest will be freezing).

Movement is a better way to go as long as your temperatures are not too low (like putting a golf ball in the container so the surface moves around a bit and doesn't freeze)

Yeah, I tried the salt water in a bottle method and it still froze. But I believe the bottle moving around in the waterer made it take longer to freeze solid.

 

[NestingMillenial]

Yeah, I tried the salt water in a bottle method and it still froze. But I believe the bottle moving around in the waterer made it take longer to freeze solid.

Oh that would make sense! And actually in this case don't even fill up the bottle, just let the empty bottle float on top, that should be even more effective!