Bringing water in during an evening freeze

[Iluveggers]

I recently bought a waterer anti-freeze plate that should keep my chicken water above freezing, but have not set it up yet. Tonight the low should be around 28. 32 will start around 8 am. I usually let the chickens out at sunrise which will be close to 7. I decided to bring the waterer in tonight, and just put it out with their feed in the morning. The food & water stay in the run always.

The highs the rest of the week are high 50/low 60. Any concerns with doing it this way until DH is off work this weekend and we can set up the new anti-freeze plate? He doesn’t usually get home before dark. Thanks so much.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Sounds like my plans the whole four or five days I get of late fall around here. Should be fine.

 

[Brooks_]

I'm not sure I follow. Seems fine to bring water in overnight. Are you concerned it could still freeze in that early morning hour? I don't think it would on borderline temps.

 

[Iluveggers]

I was just checking to see if my plan sounded reasonable. I don’t think 1 hour of freezing temps would cause a huge issue. Sometimes I overthink things and I just need reassurance lol.

 

[Brooks_]

I was just checking to see if my plan sounded reasonable. I don’t think 1 hour of freezing temps would cause a huge issue. Sometimes I overthink things and I just need reassurance lol.

It will be fine.

 

[DickMidnight]

i doubt it would even be frozen solid overnight at 29 degrees.

id just leave it out there. you might have to break some surface ice in the morning but i don’t think you’ll have a block of ice.

 

[RojoMarz]

Previously I have three waters in winter. One in the coop, one in the house ready to be put in the coop and one in the house defrosting.

I have updated to a heated water. I haven't seen how it will handle the winter yet.

 

[21hens-incharge]

It will be fine. In those temps my open dish waterers might have a very thin layer of ice if any at all. I am not sure what kind of dish you are using but bringing it in certainly can't hurt.

I don't use any heat for the water dishes here. I dump in the evening and refill in the morning. We get several months where the lows are either near zero or drop below.

 

[Iluveggers]

It will be fine. In those temps my open dish waterers might have a very thin layer of ice if any at all. I am not sure what kind of dish you are using but bringing it in certainly can't hurt.

I don't use any heat for the water dishes here. I dump in the evening and refill in the morning. We get several months where the lows are either near zero or drop below.

Wow. The water doesn’t freeze that far below zero?

This is just a warmup to our winter. Here is the extended forecast. Occasionally we get a week of negative temps both day & night, so I figured I would purchase the anti-freeze plate before everyone in my area needed them and I couldn’t find one! Hopefully it won’t be a harsh winter, but will be ready just in case!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

So, physics.
The larger the reservior of water, the longer it takes to freeze. The more it moves, the longer it takes to freeze. If its in an insulated container (glass, igloo plastic, etc...) the longer it takes to freeze. It takes a LOT of air to take any mass of water to frozen.