Gatorade in winter water to keep it thawed

[MommaMonica]

It just occured to me that since gatrade is a little salty and sweet, it takes a bit longer to freeze. Has anyone tried this method? I tried the water bottle method with high concentration with salt and thank goodness i had the inclincation to put in some food color, because surely enough--the darned thing leaked within a month. I frequently give them some gatorade on some of the hotter days, so I know it definitely benefits them.

 

[Brooks_]

I'd not do it. Plain water only. Some electrolyte water along plain water in the warm season.

 

[saysfaa]

It doesn't work. In order to make a significant difference, you would need to concentrate the gatorade to a toxic level.

 

[saysfaa]

I think a bottle of very hot water or a piece of heated soapstone held in the bottom of the waterer would work better to get it to take longer to freeze. I haven't tried it yet, though.

 

[MommaMonica]

ok thanks
I watch til the end as he said, but he did't say what the secret formula was lol. I think it was a piece of metal in a ziploc baggie. The sun passes through the plastic and heats the metal, thus heating the water. I think I will give a try.

 

[tigger19687]

None of those things work.
If your temps stay around, IIRC, 33º then the bottle of high salt water placed in the bowl works ok, but it needs to take up most of the area.
Here is a pic I had of my one the other year. it is inside a heated water-bowl but not plugged in. Once it hit like 28 or 30º I turned on the heated water bowl but left the jug in it so they only had a small area to drink from and not jump in it

https://www.backyardchickens.com/account/th-attachment-manager/1187209/view

 

[saysfaa]

ok thanks
I watch til the end as he said, but he did't say what the secret formula was lol. I think it was a piece of metal in a ziploc baggie. The sun passes through the plastic and heats the metal, thus heating the water. I think I will give a try.

His secret formula was a joke and a compliment to his wife- it was a picture of his wife.

Salt in a bottle is a thread drift. This thread started as asking about putting Gatorade in the waterer instead of water - as in they drink the gatorade directly.

 

[MommaMonica]

I started the thread LOL. Yes. I had tried the salt water in a bottle in the waterer and since it leaked, I thought would ask about using gatorade instead.

There was something in a ziploc bag that was shiny silvery--he did not reveal what the recipe was. And there was one waterbowl that had steam and no ice.

I will further investigate. The water freezes so quick now.