Bounce off Heated Waterers

[Animalian]

Solar? Insulate the main part of the water? out some compost in a bucket then have a smaller bucket for the water inside and hope the heat of decomposition will keep the water thawed?

 

[GoldDogsMom]

Quote:
So if you do the buckets of water, what do you pour them in? Their regular water (we have these http://www.jefferslivestock.com/product.asp?camid=LIV&pn=0040003&cn=3503 just went to the first website I found)

I want water nipples, but then I thought about winter and wondered how well they would be???

Yep, we have a red wagon, guess that will work.

I have waterers like you have and I bought extras, I take out fresh water in the morning and put the frozen one in the utility sink in the house to thaw and just keep switching them out. I check late afternoon and if frozen again I swap them out again.

 

[kittycooks]

Quote:
You mean like the tiles you would put on a back splash in a kitchen or tile the bathroom with?? I have a bunch of those somewhere. They are glazed though, is that going to matter??

Yes, standard glazed tiles will work just fine. Heat in boiling water and place in the bottom of the bucket. They will slow the water from freezing.
@bearfootfarm: I agree they won't prevent freezing but will buy some time. Northern Native Americans used this strategy through-out history!

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Northern Native Americans used this strategy through-out history!

They heated stones in a fire and used it to heat water to cook with.

But still, it only buys you minutes, since small tiles don't have the thermal mass to retain enough heat once you drop them in cooler water.

You'd get the same amount of time just putting hot water in to begin with​