Frozen solid!

[Hairydadrock]

WOW! absolutely frozen solid this morning here in England,-5 last night! I know that's not as bad as some of you guys get but for here in Northern England that's quite chilly,all the girls are OK even the sick hen I've got isolating,only problem is the water I'm gonna have to got down there a few times today to defrost it.i used hot water this morn,water heater is not really an option,any ideas on keeping it clear of ice.

 

[-Flash-]

WOW! -5?! (C or F?)

 

[Silkie Princess]

WOW! -5?! (C or F?)

Celsius

 

[rosemarythyme]

If a heated waterer isn't an option you'll need to bring liquid water out a few times during the day so they have water to drink.

 

[-Flash-]

Celsius

THAT'S FREEZING! (And good, because I was talking in Celsius too@)

 

[Callender Girl]

Going out every few hours with fresh water for my poultry is the cornerstone of my winter exercise program.

I've run extension cords, where possible, and plugged in electric waterers, and as well, have used large electric dog dishes in the common areas. HOWEVER, last year one of the cords started smoldering -- apparently because some naughty geese had chewed it a bit or because some snow got into the plug. This year, I will be much more careful and will rotate thawed water dishes outside as often as possible.

 

[Ridgerunner]

any ideas on keeping it clear of ice.

Clear of ice isn't the issue, frozen solid is. Mine will peck holes in skim ice. It's amazing what they can do with those beaks.

You probably don't have one of these laying around. In winter I use a black rubber bowl I get at a feed store for water. If you set it in the sun it will stay thawed in temperatures colder than yours. The sun doesn't always shine, especially at night, but since it is rubber you can beat it against the ground to break the ice out without the bowl breaking. They will poop in it so you need to change it out every day anyway. This does not solve the problem, you still have to provide daily water, but it can minimize how often you need to water.

Where you are I'd expect the freezing weather to go away pretty soon. Hopefully this is a short term problem.

 

[Callender Girl]

You are completely right about the black rubber bowls. My favorite way to empty is by turning them upside down and stomping the ice right out of them.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Times three on using a black rubber livestock bowl.

The solar gain with minimal sun will keep it thawed below freezing and if full sun will stay liquid at -6 C with minimal icing allowing birds to drink all day. Indestructible, stomp out ice easy, best invention/tool you'll ever purchase. You'll only need to buy it once but I'll say it twice- indestructible.

 

[Hairydadrock]

Times three on using a black rubber livestock bowl.

The solar gain with minimal sun will keep it thawed below freezing and if full sun will stay liquid at -6 C with minimal icing allowing birds to drink all day. Indestructible, stomp out ice easy, best invention/tool you'll ever purchase. You'll only need to buy it once but I'll say it twice- indestructible.

Yeah they sound ideal,we have something similar here in the UK with handles on them,they're available in small sizes,I think I'll bring the waterer in the house till I get some,it's not freezing tonight though so you were correct about the temps here in the uk1